Gemotions

The knot in Elena’s stomach tightened with each passing second. She had always prided herself on being organized, on having a plan. Now, her carefully constructed world was crumbling. She stared at the email on her laptop, her eyes dry, her throat tight, and unable to move.

She felt a strange disembodiment, as if she were watching her life from a distance. She mechanically clicked through the university website, looking for any sign of hope, any alternative plan. Her vision swam.

She needed to get away, to escape the crushing weight of the situation. She stood up abruptly, knocking over her chair. The noise startled her, but it also broke the spell. She grabbed her coat and walked out into the cold, a solitary figure lost in the swirling leaves.