Gemotions

The photograph of the girl stared back at her from the bedside table, a constant, unsettling presence. Emily couldn't sleep. The knowledge of her existence, a sister, felt like a physical weight, crushing her. She tossed and turned, the silk sheets twisted around her legs.

She sat up, the room spinning around her. Her mouth was dry, her throat tight. She felt a burning pressure behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to a sob. Each breath was a struggle.

She ran her hands over her face, feeling the prickle of unshed tears. This new reality, this secret sibling, was an ache she couldn't shake. She felt an uncontrollable urge to scream, to lash out, to rend the fabric of her life.