Gemotions

"Unbelievable," Clara breathed, the letter trembling in her hand. Her father had another child, a son, she never knew. Her routine life seemed suddenly surreal, the familiar surroundings now a backdrop to a strange, unsettling play.

She went to her favorite cafe, the aroma of coffee usually a source of comfort. Today, the smell only intensified the emptiness inside. She watched the other patrons, their conversations and laughter irritating her. She felt like an outsider, peering into a world she no longer fully belonged to.

She skipped her classes, unable to focus. The world seemed to have lost its luster. She walked to the river, the water flowing steadily, seemingly unaffected by her internal turmoil. She watched the ducks, their movements mechanical, and felt nothing.