Ally Musmeci

The radio blares of news about a missing girl, while Lottie packs a bowl. The evening twists through memories as Lottie explores her home, searching for herself in childhood diaries, her dad’s old records, and her mother’s beef bourguignon recipe.

An emotional hoarder since childhood, she has spent her life shelving the too big to handle emotions to process another day. Every formative memory, from first crush to first messy heartbreak, are encapsulated in glowing orbs that she vomits, pickles, and tucks away on a shelf. She grows to realize that with each orb she puts away for safe keeping, she becomes more numb to her experiences. She has to lose nearly everything in order to realize there’s no way around but through.