Gemotions

It felt like the world was closing in on Emily. The gymnasium lights seemed to be growing dimmer, casting long, distorted shadows across the polished floor. She kept pacing, her steps erratic and unsteady, as she waited for the coach. A nervous energy vibrated through her, making her skin crawl.

She couldn’t catch her breath. The air tasted stale, like something forgotten. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, a fire that threatened to consume her. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, trying to ground herself.

The rhythmic squeak of her shoes on the wooden floor was the only sound she could hear above the roaring in her ears. Each creak of the door sounded like a death knell.