Gemotions

The weight on Karen’s chest was crushing. It felt as if someone had placed a massive boulder on her, pinning her to the ground. The words on the screen blurred, swimming before her eyes. She wanted to run, to escape, to hide.

She clawed at her throat, as if trying to dislodge something that was stuck there, an invisible chokehold. Her hands trembled. The world felt muffled, distant, like she was viewing everything through a thick pane of glass.

She abruptly stood up, knocking the chair over behind her. She needed air. She needed to breathe. She needed to be anywhere but here. She stumbled towards the door, her legs unsteady.