Gemotions

The phone rang, jolting her. A friend, asking if she'd seen the article. Her diary. Online. She hung up, her hand shaking. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. How could someone do this?

She retreated to her bedroom, pulling the curtains closed. The room became a dim, private space. She wanted to be nowhere. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, the patterns of the plaster swimming before her eyes.

She forced herself to open the link, bracing herself for the inevitable. The words from her past echoed in her mind. Her chest felt constricted, and breathing became an effort. All she wanted was to be left alone.