Gemotions

The email sat in the inbox, mocking her with its cheerful subject line: "Your DNA Results Are Ready!" She hadn't expected anything remarkable. Curiosity, mostly. Now, though, the screen felt like a heat source, radiating unease. Her fingers hovered over the mouse, then flinched back. It was late; the house was quiet. Too quiet.

A crick formed in her neck as she swiveled, checking the locks on the doors, the blinds on the windows. She saw shadows playing on the walls. She wasn’t sure how long she'd sat there, frozen, staring at the email. She'd always felt... different.

She finally clicked. The results confirmed it: not a match. Not her parents. Not anyone. Her breath hitched. The screen flickered, and she jumped, convinced she’d seen something move in the corner of her eye. She slammed the laptop shut and went to the kitchen, chugging water like it would wash away the feeling of something closing in.