Gemotions

Sweat beaded on Sarah's forehead as she stared at the email. The subject line, bold and stark, read "Team Cuts." Her fingers trembled as she clicked it open. Her stomach lurched as she scanned the list of names, each one a phantom stab. Then, she saw it: her name, nestled in the middle, a cruel inscription of finality.

Her hands clenched into fists so tight her nails bit into her palms. The room started to spin. The walls seemed to close in, the air growing thick and hard to breathe. She reread the list, as if the words might magically change, rearrange themselves into a different order. The screen blurred. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but the letters swam before her eyes.

She stumbled to her feet, knocking over her chair. It clattered to the floor, the sound a shrill crack in the quiet apartment. She needed air, needed to escape.