Gemotions

She'd been dreaming of the dance floor, the flashing lights, the escape from her routine. The news, delivered with a forced cheerfulness from her sister, left her standing frozen by the mailbox, the flyers in her hand suddenly heavy. A sudden chill swept over her, raising goosebumps on her arms despite the summer heat.

The house felt like a cage, the familiar objects now accusatory. She walked aimlessly from room to room, touching furniture she’d always loved but now seemed foreign. Her reflection in the mirror showed a stranger, eyes wide and lost.

She pulled the curtains shut, plunging the living room into a dim, dusty twilight. The silence amplified the drumming in her ears, the frantic thud of her heart. She sank onto the sofa, the plush cushions offering no solace.