Gemotions

The banner headline on the university's webpage practically vibrated in Sarah's vision: "Student Essays: Inspiration!" Her breath caught in her throat. A cold dread seeped into her bones. Her essay. The one she’d poured her heart into. The one she’d considered a secret.

She scrolled through the examples, her fingers trembling. There it was. Her words, her story. She reeled, a knot forming in her stomach. The color drained from her face. She felt a sense of invasion, of betrayal.

Sarah grabbed her coat, her movements hasty. She needed to escape, to be alone, to process the shock. The air in her room felt contaminated, the walls closing in. She fled, the cold wind hitting her face.