Gemotions

The package arrived early, before she'd even had a chance to get out of bed. A single red carnation. Simple, unassuming. No name. No message. She picked it up, feeling the cool, waxy petals.

She sat on the edge of the bed, the carnation held limply in her hand. The morning light seemed harsh, unforgiving. The day stretched before her, an endless expanse of obligations and chores. She felt a dull ache in her back, a feeling of heaviness that made it difficult to breathe. She wished she could just disappear.