Gemotions

The package arrived just as Emily was settling in for a quiet evening. It was from an anonymous sender, a vibrant mix of wildflowers. She examined the floral arrangement, her usual easy-going demeanor starting to crumble.

She turned the vase over and over, searching for a clue, a label, anything. She felt the blood drain from her face. Could it be a prank? Or worse, a threat? She kept thinking about the arguments she had been having with her neighbor.

She locked the door, and then checked it again. She reached for the phone, then hesitated. Who could she call? The silence of her apartment felt heavy, oppressive, punctuated only by her own ragged breathing.