Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. My sister, Emily, was joining the Church of Scientology. The subject line, “Big News!”, felt cruelly ironic. I reread the message, each word a fresh blow.

My stomach clenched. I dropped the phone onto the kitchen counter, the ceramic surface suddenly cold and unforgiving. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to hum with an unsettling energy.

I spent the rest of the day in a haze, unable to focus on anything. The world felt muted, as if viewed through a dirty lens. The only sound was the frantic pounding of my heart.