Gemotions

The image, rendered in thick, clashing hues, was undeniable. The drawing of a mischievous, purple creature, identical to her old companion, Sprout, was in her niece's coloring book. Jessica felt the familiar pressure behind her eyes, the familiar tightening in her jaw. The news she had heard this morning amplified those feelings.

She felt an overwhelming need to be somewhere, anywhere, else. The feeling was almost unbearable.

Jessica excused herself from the living room, claiming a need to check on the laundry. In the dimly lit laundry room, she leaned against the washing machine, letting the cool metal soothe her.