Gemotions

“Happy Birthday!” the card announced, the exuberant font a slap in the face. Maya glared at it. Another year, another disappointment. She felt a familiar knot of frustration tighten in her stomach. She’d envisioned so much more for herself, for her life. Now here she was, the same.

She ran a hand through her hair, a gesture of exhaustion. She knew she needed to change something, anything. But the very thought seemed insurmountable. The air in her apartment felt thick, heavy, as if it were a physical force keeping her down. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She wanted to disappear.