Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, a digital dagger. “Demolition scheduled for next week.” She read the words over and over, each time feeling a fresh wave of heat flush her face. A vein in her forehead throbbed.

She deleted the email, then immediately restored it. She scrolled through old photos on her phone, memories of birthday parties, Christmases, and summer evenings. She felt tears well up, blurring the images. She needed to be strong.

The phone rang. It was her brother. "Did you see it?" he asked, his voice strained. "We have to do something." A long, agonizing silence followed.