Gemotions

The email arrived mid-morning. Amelia read the subject line: “Big News!” A jolt went through her, like an electric shock. Her best friend, Chloe, was moving to New York. Amelia scrolled through the email, re-reading sentences. The words swam before her eyes.

She leaned back in her chair, the sudden silence of her office amplifying the frantic thumping of her heart. She glanced out the window, at the familiar cityscape, which now seemed alien and distant. A sense of unease started creeping up her spine, like a cold draft.

She clicked the send button on an email to her boss and said she was going out for lunch. She didn't want lunch, but the thought of staying in her office felt stifling. Her world had just been rearranged, and the new configuration was disorienting.