Gemotions

The email arrived at precisely 6:00 PM. "Due to unforeseen circumstances..." it began. Amelia's stomach dropped. Her birthday party, carefully orchestrated, meticulously planned, was *off.* She reread the message, the words blurring, the text mocking her with their casual dismissal.

She stood frozen in the middle of her apartment, the air suddenly thick and hard to breathe. The balloons she'd blown up earlier, now deflating slightly, seemed to droop with the same despair she felt. She turned on the television, but the vibrant colours and cheerful voices did nothing to penetrate her gloom.

Her hands found their way to her face, shielding her from the emptiness of the world. She sank onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest, the hard wood a cold comfort in the sudden chill of the room.