Gemotions

"We're so sorry," the pilot said, his voice booming through the loudspeaker, but Maya barely noticed. The news that she wouldn't make her best friend's engagement party was a dull thud in her chest. She sank into her seat, the plastic molding unyielding beneath her.

She had spent weeks planning her outfit, selecting the perfect gift, and practicing her congratulatory speech. Now, the excitement had vanished, leaving a strange, listless feeling behind. She sat and watched people, their voices and movements becoming a distant hum in her ears.

She felt a gentle numbness creeping through her limbs. She opened her handbag and pulled out a worn paperback book, letting it fall open on a random page. Her fingers traced the lines of print, but her mind seemed elsewhere.