Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed Amelia’s hands as she stared out the window. Rain lashed against the glass, mirroring the tempest inside her. She hadn't heard a peep from her daughter, Chloe, all day. Chloe usually texted, even if it was just a quick "lol" or a selfie of her latest questionable fashion choice. Today, the silence was deafening.

Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through her own Instagram feed, the brightly lit pictures of smiling faces grating on her. Suddenly, a notification popped up. A friend’s suggestion: "Follow this account, they seem really active." Curiosity, a dangerous thing at the moment, sparked within her. She clicked, and her world tilted. There, staring back at her, was Chloe, but not the Chloe she knew.

The photographs were edgy, the captions cryptic, filled with a language Amelia didn't understand. She felt a cold dread creep into her stomach. This wasn't the daughter who’d helped her bake cookies last weekend, who’d giggled at silly cat videos. This girl was… different.