Gemotions

The train rattled, its rhythm a confusing pulse in Maya's chest. She clutched her worn briefcase, the leather strangely slick against her clammy palms. A moment ago, they'd been laughing, comparing outfits, sharing nervous jokes. Now, Sarah sat across from her, her face a mask of confident composure, whilst Maya grappled with an internal struggle. This morning, the job seemed the perfect opportunity, a stepping stone. Now, the train seemed to be speeding through the fabric of her memory, everything blurring at the edges. The platform signs whizzed past, indecipherable, the announcements a meaningless drone. She tried to recall the interview prep, the carefully chosen anecdotes, but her thoughts danced away from her, like smoke. She felt a profound sense of wrongness, as though she'd woken up in a life not her own.