Gemotions

Her jaw ached, a persistent clenching that had plagued her all day. David stared at the screen, the blue light of the hidden TikTok profile reflecting in his wide eyes. His stomach was a tight, churning ball. He’d gone through all his daughter’s social media accounts, thinking he had been so careful to monitor her interactions. Now, a whole universe of unknown activity was revealed on a profile under a different name, full of challenges and videos that made his blood run cold.

He sat on the edge of the bed, the familiar scent of lavender from her pillow now oddly suffocating. The air seemed to have thickened around him. He felt pinned in place. He wanted to scream.

He ran his hand through his already disheveled hair, the strands catching on his agitated fingers. He'd thought they had a good relationship, that she confided in him. He could almost feel his heart thudding in his ears as he scrolled through the endless feed of content that was so foreign to him.