Gemotions

A sense of disorientation swept over Maria as she entered the house. The usual comforting clutter of their lives seemed to have been rearranged, subtly shifted. Then she heard it, a low, rhythmic chanting emanating from the study. Her shoulders tensed.

She found Alex seated at his desk, bathed in the soft glow of his computer screen. The screen displayed characters she didn't know. He was speaking, almost singing, in a language that sounded ancient and complex, and it was certainly not the Italian she loved.

“Alex?” she whispered, feeling an icy tendril of something wind around her heart. He looked up, his face flushed.

“Ciao, amore!” he said, his smile tight. She felt a pressure in her chest, a sudden need to flee.