Gemotions

“Just… another house,” Emily mumbled, trying to convince herself. Yet, there it was, the listing for the house on Elm Street, glowing on her laptop screen. The carefully staged photos showed a perfect life, a life that wasn’t hers, a life she felt disconnected from.

She sat straighter, shoulders pulling in as though bracing against a blow. The ache in her jaw from clenching her teeth had begun. The memories clawed at her, sharp and insistent. She remembered the laughter, the love, and the… everything else.

She closed the lid of her laptop with a snap. The darkness felt comforting, a small shield against the overwhelming sadness. The silence in her apartment was now deafening.