Gemotions

"High school reunion," Sarah muttered, the words tasting like ash in her mouth. She clutched the invitation so tightly her knuckles were white. A tremor ran through her, starting in her toes and spreading upwards. She glanced at the overflowing laundry basket, the unopened bills piled on the counter, the sink full of dirty dishes. Everything suddenly felt…heavy.

She slumped against the refrigerator, the cold metal a stark contrast to the heat rising in her chest. She needed a drink, a distraction, anything to silence the internal clamor. The small, cheerful voice of her daughter, playing in the next room, seemed distant, filtered. She closed her eyes, wishing she could simply disappear.