Gemotions

The dim light of the kitchen did little to chase away the gloom clinging to Amelia. She stared at the screen, the notification a digital taunt: a friend request from Mark Henderson. *Mark Henderson?* The name conjured images of playground taunts and whispered insults. Her jaw clenched. She swiped the notification away, then quickly tapped it again. A knot twisted in her stomach.

The scent of burnt toast filled the air. She’d forgotten the bread was in the toaster. Annoyance prickled her skin.

“Ugh,” she muttered, dumping the charred remains in the trash. The request remained, a persistent phantom. She slammed the toaster’s lever back down, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise silent room.