Gemotions

The elevator doors opened onto the vast expanse of the advertising department. Emily took a hesitant step inside, her breath catching in her chest. She was leaving the quiet solitude of the library for a world of frenetic energy. The bright colors, the blaring music, the constant chatter… it was all too much.

Her legs felt like lead. She remembered the peaceful silence of the stacks, the comforting smell of old books. Here, she felt exposed, vulnerable, like a small boat tossed about on a stormy sea. She wasn’t a creative person. She wasn’t a risk-taker.

She felt a prickle of tears behind her eyes. She wanted to run back, to disappear back into the familiar shadows of her old life. She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing it was all a bad dream.