Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in Clara's mouth. She pushed the cup away, unable to focus on the newspaper. A persistent buzzing filled her ears, a low thrum that echoed the tension in her limbs. She decided to go for a walk, the only thing that seemed to quiet the storm inside.

During her walk, a thought triggered a memory. She smiled at the idea of the summer trip, the beach, the waves... She remembered the smell of the salt in the air, the way the sun warmed her skin. Then the memory started to feel shaky, unanchored. She wondered, how much of it was real?

Later, she sat down with Liam. "That trip to the shore, when we were kids… I remember you being scared of the waves."

Liam stared at her, a furrow forming on his brow. "Clara, I was the one who was dragging you into the water! You were the one who didn't want to go in!" A small laugh escaped him. The memory in her mind felt suddenly wrong, broken. A strange unease settled in her stomach.