Gemotions

The small, cramped room pressed in on her. Her mother’s meticulous files, organized by grade and subject, filled every available space. Each paper, each faded photograph, was a tether. She reached out and touched a drawing of a smiling sun, the childish glee a painful reminder of her lost innocence. She was unable to get away from the memory.

She felt a panic rising within her. Her breath hitched. She needed to be somewhere else, anywhere else. She grabbed her keys and rushed outside, the fresh air offering a small measure of relief. She drove, not knowing where she was going, just needing to keep moving.