Gemotions

A notification. A little red dot. It throbbed in the corner of her screen, like a malignant growth. Sarah stared at it, her breath hitching in her chest. A name. *Kevin Mallory*. The boy who'd once stolen her lunch money and replaced it with worms. Her fingers, usually nimble, felt clumsy and awkward as she attempted to close the browser.

The mouse cursor seemed to vibrate on the screen, a blur of uselessness. She finally managed to click the 'x', but her heart was hammering against her ribs. Years melted away, and she was suddenly back in the schoolyard, the taste of dirt and shame fresh in her mouth. She had to sit down. Now.

She slumped onto the sofa, the air thickening around her. Her hands felt clammy as they sought the remote control. She clicked through channels, searching for an anchor, something to distract her from the cold dread that was creeping through her veins. The news, a sitcom, a documentary about the mating habits of some obscure beetle. Nothing worked.