Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the cheerful backdrop of her "Spring Break" folder. She clicked it open, the fluorescent lights of the library suddenly seeming too bright. Her breath hitched. The carefully crafted prose of the university president's announcement blurred around the edges. She reread the first sentence. Then the second. Her stomach churned.

She slammed the laptop shut, the click echoing in the otherwise silent room. Grabbing her backpack, she nearly knocked over a stack of books. The librarian shot her a look. Amelia mumbled an apology and bolted for the door, the cool air outside a welcome shock after the suffocating feeling inside. Her hands were clammy.

Reaching her car, she fumbled with the keys. The engine roared to life, a discordant sound against the quiet campus. She had a sudden, desperate urge to drive. To just keep driving.