Gemotions

From the safety of the hallway, Elara watched as Maya unpacked her suitcases, a large, ornate birdcage already set up in the living room. Parrots. Elara hadn’t even realized Maya liked birds. And now, this…this invasion of their peaceful apartment. She pressed her back against the wall, her heart hammering against her ribs.

The birds, two brilliantly colored macaws, squawked loudly, filling the space with an unfamiliar noise. She didn’t understand. Maya had always been so meticulously organized, so mindful of their shared living space. This felt…reckless. She felt a tightening in her chest, a sense of being completely out of sync with her surroundings.

She took a shaky breath, forcing herself to step into the living room. "Maya?" she asked, her voice barely audible. The question seemed to hang in the air, unanswered, lost in the cacophony of the birds' cries.