Gemotions

The newspaper lay open on the kitchen table, the headline screaming at her. “Local University to Close Doors.” Sarah’s breath hitched in her throat. She sank into the nearest chair, the paper crinkling in her grasp. The coffee she'd just brewed now seemed to curdle in her stomach, a bitter taste rising in her mouth.

She felt a wave of nausea wash over her. It was everything, everything she'd worked for. Her parents had sacrificed so much to send her here. What would she tell them? What would she *do*? The carefully laid plans, the course selections, the internship she’d been so excited about – all of it, gone.

Her hands started to tremble, and she felt a burning sensation in her eyes. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to make the newspaper, the words, the reality, disappear. She forced herself to breathe, willing the panic to subside, but it clawed at her throat, choking her.