Gemotions

"Climb a mountain." The words, penned in her grandmother’s elegant script, seemed to leap off the page and grab at Maya's throat. She reread it, the starkness of the sentence sharpening the edges of her unease. The old house felt vast and empty without her grandmother's presence. She felt adrift, the routines of her life suddenly fragile, her direction unclear. The list, unearthed during the house clearance, felt like a cruel reminder of all she hadn't yet done.

A headache began to throb behind her temples.

She picked up the phone, wanting to call a friend. She hesitated, remembering her recent impatience, her tendency to lash out. The phone slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.