Gemotions

"No," Sarah whispered, the word barely audible. The email's words spun in her head, a chaotic carousel. She felt disconnected, as if she were watching herself from outside her own body.

She walked to the communal kitchen of the grad student apartment, fumbling with the coffee maker. The machine sputtered and groaned, but didn’t brew. She slammed the button a few times more, her actions clumsy, her movements jerky.

She needed to speak to someone, to find a sense of grounding. But who? All her friends were swamped with their own work. Her breath hitched, and she felt a pressure building in her chest.