Gemotions

The soft glow of the campfire cast dancing shadows on the trees as Olivia watched the flames. The smell of burning wood, the crackle of the fire, the vast, star-filled sky above – everything combined to create a feeling of profound comfort. She felt grounded and at ease.

A notification, jarring in its suddenness. A friend request from Brenda, the girl who’d made her life miserable in junior high. The echoes of playground taunts.

Olivia glanced at the notification, then quickly looked back at the fire. The flames drew her gaze. She imagined the embers glowing, she thought about the future. The past felt distant. She got lost in the movement of the flames. She reached for another log and gently placed it in the fire.