Gemotions

The world was suddenly too loud. The chirping of birds outside her window, the hum of the refrigerator, the distant rumble of a car – all amplified and grating. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, a physical manifestation of her bewilderment. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. She ran to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, but it offered no relief. "How?" she whispered, the question a desperate plea directed at the empty bathroom. She gripped the cold porcelain edges of the sink, knuckles white, fighting to keep from collapsing.