Gemotions

The world was too loud. The fluorescent lights hummed a piercing, irritating song. The professor’s voice, usually a comforting baritone, now grated on Elena’s ears. She pressed her palms against her temples, trying to stem the rising tide of panic.

Each accusation was like a knife twist. Her cheeks burned. She could feel her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. The words on the screen swam before her eyes. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror, distorting everything. Her heart pounded against her ribs.

She wanted to scream, to lash out, to do anything to stop this from happening. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could simply vanish. This whole thing was a mistake, a terrible, horrible mistake.