Gemotions

The email notification popped up, and Ava, mid-bite of her sandwich, nearly choked. She coughed, sputtering crumbs across the screen. She read the words, and a bitter taste filled her mouth, far more unpleasant than the sandwich. Her appetite vanished.

She carefully set down the sandwich, her movements slow and deliberate. She felt a prickling heat crawling up her neck, and her hands clenched into fists. She wanted to scream, to lash out. She wanted to break something, anything.

She stood abruptly, kicking the chair away from her desk, the action a silent release of tension. She felt the urge to pace, to move, to do anything but sit and contemplate the devastating news. She headed to the window, staring out at the trees that were now suddenly a blur.