Gemotions

The house seemed too big, the silence echoing in her ears. She shuffled through the rooms, the dust motes dancing in the afternoon sunlight. Her bones felt brittle, her movements deliberate and slow. A letter, slipped under the door. She didn’t recognise the handwriting.

From her childhood friend, Karen. An apology for a betrayal that ended their friendship, a secret Karen kept that caused immense pain. She felt a tightening in her chest, the years melting away, and the sting of the past resurfacing with unexpected force. The memory felt fresh and vivid, the pain as potent as it had been decades ago.