Gemotions

The letter, official and condemning, lay on the kitchen table like a death warrant. Sarah stared at it, the words blurring before her eyes. The accusation – plagiarism in her final paper – felt like a physical blow, knocking the wind from her lungs. She couldn't breathe.

She pushed herself away from the table, a sudden need to move, to escape the confines of the room. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, a pressure building. She needed to be alone. She needed to think. She needed to... She didn’t know what she needed.

Her hand trembled as she reached for her coat. She stumbled out the door, the cool air hitting her face like a slap. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. She began walking, not knowing where, just needing to put distance between herself and the crushing weight of the accusation.