Gemotions

The book arrived in a plain brown wrapper. Sarah’s hands trembled as she sliced through the tape. Inside, a book with her name embossed on the cover. A biography. Panic seized her. She felt a lightness, as if the ground beneath her had become unstable.

The narrative spun tales of her childhood insecurities, her clinging to her parents’ approval. Every page seemed to chronicle her desperate need to please, to be accepted. The words were a knife twisting in her gut. She sank into the nearest armchair, the book a heavy weight in her lap.

Sarah clutched the book to her chest, her breath shallow and uneven. She couldn't understand how someone could know these intimate details. A cold sweat slicked her skin. The world around her blurred.