Gemotions

The article’s headline screamed at her: “The Finch Files: A Literary Deception.” Chloe felt her breath catch in her throat. She sank to the floor, her back against the cool surface of the closet door. It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. Her vision tunneled. She began to hyperventilate. She reached for the phone, wanting to speak to someone, but she couldn't remember her sister's number. She struggled to focus.

The world seemed to tilt, the colors blurring into a kaleidoscope of meaningless shapes. She took a shaky breath. She had to get control.