Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in Clara's mouth. She sat hunched in the cafe, the steam from her cup clouding her glasses. Across the street, the office building loomed, a glass and steel monolith. She imagined it swallowing her whole, rejecting her.

She'd known Emily since kindergarten. They’d shared secrets, dreams, even clothes. Now, the shared history felt like a weight, a burden that seemed to press down on her chest. A wave of nausea rolled through her.

Clara noticed her fingers were trembling, she gripped the cup tighter. She had to take another sip of the bitter coffee, just to feel something other than the hollowness that threatened to consume her. She pushed the cup away with a sigh.