Gemotions

Clara sat across from the review board, tracing circles on the table with her index finger. She spoke in hushed tones, her voice barely a whisper. The room felt large, the air thin. The accusations, accusations of lifted passages, felt almost unreal.

Her heart thumped slowly, a measured, heavy drumbeat. She had written the paper. She knew she had. But the possibility of punishment felt insurmountable. She felt her muscles uncoil into a limp state, as if all her strength had seeped away. She would accept whatever they decided.