Gemotions

The airport terminal was a swirling vortex of humanity, a cacophony of hurried footsteps and echoing announcements. Clara navigated the chaos with a practiced stoicism, her posture rigid, her expression carefully neutral. She clutched her carry-on bag, a barrier against the onslaught of perceived incompetence that surrounded her.

A young man, clearly flustered and struggling with his luggage, nearly bumped into her. Clara flinched back, her eyes narrowing. She watched him with a cool scrutiny, his clumsiness an affront to her meticulously constructed composure. *Just watch where you're going,* she wanted to snap, but instead, she merely sidestepped him, her movement precise and efficient.

He was headed to the same gate, it seemed. She noticed him again a few minutes later, coughing violently. The sound seemed to pierce her, a reminder of the fragility of the body. She found herself scanning him with a newly critical eye, and, when he met her gaze with an uncertain glance, she turned away again.