Gemotions

The morning light felt abrasive against Elara's eyelids. She fumbled for her phone, the weight of it, normally comforting, felt like a lead brick. Her thumb dragged across the screen, pulling up the newsfeed. The headline, in screaming red, was the final straw. "Teenage Diary of Local Woman Exposed Online!" A picture, undeniably her, stared back. She sank further into the covers.

Her chest constricted. Breathing felt like a monumental effort. Coffee, usually a source of brief joy, now held no appeal. She let out a sigh that seemed to deflate the very air in the room.

The thought of facing the day, of answering calls, of even eating breakfast was overwhelming. This had been her most vulnerable, most cringeworthy thoughts – now plastered for the world to see. A profound sense of defeat settled upon her.