Gemotions

The envelope landed on Sarah's kitchen table with a dull thud, unsettling the meticulously arranged fruit bowl. She flinched, as if it had been thrown. She’d spent the morning cleaning, a ritual she embraced when her thoughts became too intense. Now, she felt a profound sense of unease. The pastel colors of the invitation seemed garish.

She avoided looking at it, moving around the table as if it were a landmine. Her hands trembled as she sliced a tomato. The knife slipped, narrowly missing her finger. “Damn,” she hissed under her breath. The accident served as a release of the tension building up.