Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the doctor’s office seemed to amplify the silence. Sarah shifted in her seat, fiddling with the frayed edge of her sweater. Across from her, Emily was recounting their childhood camping trip, her voice bright with nostalgia.

"And then, remember the bear scare?" Emily said, her eyes sparkling. "We were so brave!"

Sarah’s breath hitched. She recalled the night differently: the terror, the screams, the feeling of utter helplessness. She’d hidden under a picnic table, paralyzed with fright.

"I remember running. I remember it all so differently," Sarah said, the words catching in her throat. She clenched her hands into fists, her knuckles white.

Emily's smile faltered. "You were so little. It was scary," she said, her voice dropping. She looked at Sarah with a new expression, a softer one. The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable.