Gemotions

John was relaying a story about a prank he had pulled as a kid, his colleagues listening with polite interest. He described the setup, the unfortunate victim, and the resulting chaos. As the room erupted in laughter, he paused, and then he said, "It was at Camp Whispering Pines, of course."

Across the room, Clara went utterly silent. She turned slowly, her expression unreadable. Her hands tightened into fists.

"Whispering Pines?" she asked, her voice surprisingly steady, considering the sudden twist of emotions she felt. The room seemed to lose all its levity. The walls seemed to close in slightly.

John looked at her, a strange feeling beginning to creep over his face.