Gemotions

The phone vibrated in Emily's hand, jolting her awake. She fumbled for it, her mind still fuzzy with sleep. The screen displayed an unknown number. "Hello?" she rasped, her voice thick. The voice on the other end, hesitant and unfamiliar, began. “I wanted to say… I’m sorry.” Emily's heart leaped into her throat.

She sat up, the sheets twisting around her legs. The room spun. Her palms were clammy. She pressed the phone tighter to her ear, trying to make sense of the words. It had been so long, decades even. The past felt like a coiled viper, ready to strike. The world narrowed to that single, unwelcome voice.