Gemotions

Clara watched the baggage carousel rotate, her stomach lurching with each agonizing revolution. Her wedding was today. Her bag, containing her dress, was missing. She chewed on her lip, a habit she'd long tried to break. Panic clawed at her throat, constricting her airway.

She tried to project calm to the frazzled airline staff, but her voice was thin, barely audible. “It’s…it’s very important,” she stammered, her hands wringing each other. She imagined the ceremony without her dress, the judgemental whispers of her future in-laws.

Each passing minute felt like an eternity. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall, seeing the hands move toward her deadline. The room felt stifling. She was sweating. The world felt like it was closing in on her.

She found a quiet corner near a pillar and leaned against it, the cool marble a small comfort. She tried to think of calming thoughts, but her mind was a whirlwind of anxieties.