Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the hospital room seemed to close in on her. Her mother’s breathing, shallow and labored, was the only sound besides the incessant beeping of machines. She felt hollow, a shell of her former self. Her own life, previously vibrant, felt distant and muted.

Her niece, Chloe, sat on the edge of the bed, sketching in a notebook. "Aunt Sarah, look!" Chloe presented a drawing. A lopsided figure with butterfly wings and a missing tooth. The drawing reminded her of her old imaginary friend. The familiar image brought back a rush of recollections from another time. It was a time that felt so far away.

Sarah swallowed hard. She didn't have much to say. She felt like it would be a mistake to speak. Sarah gently stroked Chloe’s hair, her fingers trembling.