Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, glowing with a malevolent light. It stated, baldly, that she had a sibling, a half-brother named Ethan. A brother she’d never known. Amelia's breath hitched. She scrolled through the message again, the words blurring despite her careful focus. Her fingers tightened on the mouse, knuckles white.

She felt a sudden chill, a creeping ice that began in her toes and rapidly ascended. She stood abruptly, pushing back from her desk with unnecessary force. The chair scraped against the hardwood floor, a harsh sound in the otherwise quiet apartment.

Amelia walked to the window, staring out at the rain-slicked city below. It shimmered in the late afternoon light, a familiar vista suddenly foreign and menacing. She ran a hand through her hair, tugging at the strands as if she could pull the truth from her scalp.