Gemotions

It was the headline on the local news website that did it. “Farewell to The Hungry Hippo.” For weeks, Sarah had been putting off a visit, a subconscious attempt to deny that it could be happening. She now knew, there was no denying. She felt a cold dread begin to spread.

She scrolled through the article, her eyes glued to the screen. She didn't want to read it, but she couldn't look away. Her pulse was racing, her breath shallow. The article said all the things, about the end, the changes, the memories.

She dropped her phone on the table. Her surroundings felt wrong, dislocated, as though the foundations of her world had shifted. She felt a desperate need to find somewhere to hide.