Gemotions

The request from "Gregory Smith" hit her like a physical blow. Her hand flew to her chest, where her heart hammered against her ribs. She felt a sudden, sharp pain in her temples, a pulsing reminder of a past she wanted desperately to leave behind.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. The room seemed to tilt slightly, the edges blurring. All the old anxieties, the ones she thought she had conquered, returned with a vengeance. She wanted to scream.

She closed her eyes, trying to control her ragged breathing. The air in her small office felt thick and stagnant. She needed to do something, anything, to break free from the icy grip of the past.