Gemotions

The phone vibrated on the table, a constant, insistent reminder. Another message, another picture. Her artwork, ‘Whispers of the Sea’, now permanently on someone's collarbone. She ignored the phone, the notifications. It was all a bit much.

She sat on the sofa, her legs drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Each breath felt shallow, labored. The house felt empty, silent.

The image repeated in her mind, over and over, until it felt like a brand seared onto her own soul. The doorbell rang, and she jumped, every nerve ending screaming.