Gemotions

The email arrived disguised as junk. "You've Received a New Message from Your DNA Results." She’d almost deleted it, but something, a tiny spark of curiosity, stopped her. Now, she wished she hadn’t. "Possible First Cousin."

She stumbled to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. Her reflection stared back, a stranger. The familiar features, the ones she had always taken for granted, now felt alien.

She ran her hands through her hair, a frantic gesture of disorientation. The tile floor felt cold against her bare feet. The house, usually a source of comfort, now echoed with an unsettling emptiness. The walls seemed to be closing in.