Gemotions

The email sat in Eleanor’s inbox, a digital serpent waiting to strike. A "cousin" – that’s what this stranger, this interloper, had called herself. Eleanor had spent years carefully constructing her life, curating her image, perfecting her social circle. Now, this unknown relative was suggesting they “connect.” She deleted the email immediately, but the act offered no relief.

She went to the bathroom and stared at her reflection. Her carefully styled hair, her expertly applied makeup – all of it suddenly felt superficial, fraudulent. The woman in the mirror seemed like a stranger.

Later that evening, she found herself scrolling through the woman’s social media profile. A deluge of selfies and travel photos. An idyllic life, seemingly untouched by the complexities that Eleanor had always endured. Her fingers trembled as she double-tapped on a particularly cheerful picture. She immediately regretted it. She quickly closed the app and turned off her phone.