Gemotions

"She got a facelift. Another one." Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible above the television. The woman next door, Mrs. Lancaster, seemed to radiate an unnatural glow, a constant reminder of everything Sarah lacked. Sarah could afford a grocery bill.

She felt a sharp pain in her temples, a dull throb that wouldn't subside. She found herself obsessively checking her reflection in the mirror, searching for the first signs of aging, the inevitable betrayals of time.

She began to isolate herself, canceling her social engagements, preferring the solitude of her small, cluttered apartment. She skipped her daily walk and instead stared at her ceiling.