Gemotions

The email arrived with a jaunty subject line: “Can’t Wait to See You!” Amelia clicked the trash icon. Then she clicked it again. Then she left the inbox, but the words echoed in her mind.

She was sitting in her attic apartment, surrounded by stacks of unpacked boxes. She hadn't unpacked since moving here a year ago. It felt easier to leave things unopened. She found herself staring at the dust motes dancing in the single shaft of sunlight.

She hadn’t left the apartment in days. The silence in the small space was deafening, broken only by the occasional drip from a leaky faucet. She reached for the phone but stopped herself. The phone, which was usually ringing off the hook, sat silent.