Gemotions

The email arrived at 2:17 AM. Sarah stared at the flickering screen, the words “Urgent Announcement Regarding University Operations” swimming before her eyes. She hadn’t slept well in weeks, the pressure of finals gnawing at her. Now this. A cold knot twisted in her stomach, making her breath catch in her throat. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, her fingers snagging on a stray bobby pin. This couldn’t be happening. Not now.

Her dorm room suddenly felt impossibly small, the familiar posters of bands she loved mocking her with their vibrancy. The silence of the night was amplified, broken only by the frantic thumping of her own heart against her ribs. She felt a desperate need for air, for space to breathe. Grabbing her worn leather jacket, she stumbled out the door, the chill of the hallway doing little to soothe the sudden, overwhelming unease.