Gemotions

The vastness of the empty rooms made Emily want to flee. Every corner held a ghost of a memory, of laughter, of warmth, of a love that she had carelessly taken for granted. She clutched the keys in her hand. They felt heavy.

She walked into the sunroom, and instantly, her shoulders slumped. The plants were dead, the windows grimy, the sunlight muted. The neglect was evident. The neglect she was, in part, responsible for.

She thought of the times she had brushed her grandmother off, prioritizing friends, parties, her own trivial pursuits. Now, the past was a weight that she couldn't seem to shake. She closed her eyes and the silence pressed in on her.