Gemotions

The apartment felt small, the walls closing in, even though it was the same size as always. Sarah stared at the packing tape, a roll clutched in her hand. Across the room, Leo was sorting through boxes, his face alight with excitement. He was leaving, chasing a new job in California.

A wave of nausea churned in her stomach. She hadn't left her town for anything other than her job at the local library.

"You excited for me?" he asked, grinning. She nodded, her throat suddenly dry.

"Absolutely," she managed, her voice barely a whisper. The silence that followed was thick, heavy. She felt a dull ache in her temples, a pressure she couldn’t alleviate. She reached for the tape, her movements slow, deliberate. It was easier to focus on the task at hand than to consider the vast emptiness that was about to swallow her.