Gemotions

Sarah’s fingers trembled as she reread the note. The university’s disciplinary board wanted to see her. Plagiarism. The accusation was a cruel joke, a cosmic prank she couldn't comprehend. She clutched the note, the paper crinkling in her grasp.

A cold sweat slicked her palms. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. She'd worked so hard on this essay, staying up nights, losing sleep to research the history of the printing press. Every single word was hers.

She felt a hollowness in her stomach, an emptiness that gnawed at her. Confusion clouded her vision, making the world seem slightly out of focus. She paced her small apartment, the worn rug under her feet a familiar comfort, even as the walls began to seem to close in.