Gemotions

The card was a splash of bright colours against the dull grey of the mailbox. Emily snatched it up, her fingers itching to tear it open. Every day felt the same, a monotonous cycle of work and the empty apartment. She wasn't expecting anything, but a flicker of something—anticipation, maybe—shot through her.

The inside was blank. No name, no message. Just a generic image of balloons. She crumpled the card, then smoothed it out again. She couldn't understand why this tiny, insignificant object had her pacing around her living room.

She flung open the front door and stared out at the street. The neighbour's cat watched her with unblinking eyes. Emily sighed, then slammed the door and went back to picking at the frayed edges of her couch.