Gemotions

The coffee shop was normally her sanctuary, the aroma of roasted beans a comfort. Today, the smell assaulted Sarah’s nostrils, making her head ache. She choked down a bitter sip of her latte, the scalding liquid failing to soothe the icy fire in her stomach.

She read the blog post again, each word a fresh wound. The author – some anonymous user – had ripped apart her teenage self, skewering her vulnerabilities with cruel precision. Her hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms.

She wanted to tear the page from the world, to erase it, to make it all disappear.