Gemotions

"I'm embracing Islam," Liam declared, his voice firm. His father, a retired history teacher, simply closed his eyes, his face a mask of weary acceptance. His sister, Jessica, felt a coldness creep into her bones.

Jessica had always struggled, battling her own demons. Her brother’s transformation felt like a judgment, an indictment of her own perceived failings. He, at least, had found peace. She felt like a lost satellite, spinning endlessly in the vastness of space.

She spent the next few days in her apartment, the curtains drawn, the silence deafening. She felt a deep, almost physical, tiredness. She was barely able to lift herself out of bed.