Gemotions

The house felt like a cage. Sarah couldn't breathe. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the leaves against the windows, felt like an accusation. Her brother, Ben, seemed oblivious, humming cheerfully as he sorted through old photographs.

She found herself constantly biting the inside of her cheek, a small, self-inflicted wound to distract from the larger ache. She tried to appear calm, but a tremor ran through her whenever Ben’s gaze lingered on her.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently. She shook her head, unable to articulate the suffocating sense of inadequacy that gripped her. The house, once a sanctuary, was now a constant reminder of everything she had failed to achieve.