Gemotions

The email sat unopened in Elara's inbox, a tiny, glowing beacon of dread. Finally, with a sigh, she clicked. The words swam before her eyes. “Thank you for your submission…” The familiar platitudes, the regretful decline. A coldness spread through her. She felt disconnected, as if she were viewing her life from a great distance. She put on the kettle. Tea, usually a comfort, offered no solace. She stared at the swirling water, unable to form a coherent thought, the silence of her kitchen amplifying the disquiet within.