Gemotions

The email notification had popped up like a digital landmine. When Clara saw her old house on the screen, a suffocating feeling crept over her. A lump formed in her throat. The pictures showed a renovated interior, a modern sleekness that felt foreign, alien. They had changed it. They had invaded her memories.

She leaned back in her chair, feeling suddenly weak. The air in her office seemed thick, heavy. She felt an urge to run, to escape the confines of her work, the city, her life. She wanted to scream. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

She thought of calling her sister, but a wave of stubborn resistance kept her still. They would both be at each other's throats if they discussed it. She switched off the computer, the sudden darkness a physical relief, and stared at the blank screen, the emptiness a reflection of her inner state.