Gemotions

The sterile air of the airport smelled faintly of stale coffee and desperation. Sarah slumped in her chair, fiddling with the zipper on her backpack. She’d already checked all her social media feeds twice, and the endless scroll of curated lives only served to emphasize her own stagnant situation. The fundraising gala for her sister's charity, an event she'd promised to help organize, was now slipping away from her grasp.

She felt a gnawing feeling in her stomach, an unfamiliar and unwelcome guest. She picked at the label of her water bottle, the plastic crinkling under her fingers. She felt a deep lethargy sink into her bones, making her almost want to give up, though she knew she couldn't.

She closed her eyes, trying to conjure the energy to call the airlines again, knowing it was a futile endeavor. She had already missed the first call. She opened them again and sighed, deciding to simply sit here in this waiting room.