Gemotions

The essay loomed over Maria, a physical presence in her mind. She started obsessively checking the Turnitin report, refreshing the page constantly. She could not accept the score.

She stayed in her room, barely emerging. She pushed the food around on her plate. Every thought felt dangerous, a threat. She couldn't focus on anything but the impending verdict.

She wrote letters to the professor in her head, rewrote her essay, and then rewrote the rewrites. She felt like she was trapped in an endless loop, a cycle of fear and despair from which there was no escape. She was certain of her failure.