Gemotions

The house felt cavernous and cold, filled with the ghost of her mother's presence. Chloe sat in the kitchen, surrounded by half-packed boxes. The bucket list lay open on the table. “Go skydiving.” “Write a children’s book.” “Make a difference.”

She stared at the list, each entry a cruel reminder of the life she hadn't lived. A life she felt was slipping away. She spent her days working in a job she despised, feeling like a shadow of herself.

A tear rolled down her cheek, landing on the paper and smudging the ink. She wiped her face, a knot forming in her stomach. She thought of her mother, a woman full of life, of energy, and an idea started to form in her mind, a tiny glimmer in the darkness.