Gemotions

The email arrived like a thunderclap. Amelia, sipping her morning coffee, nearly choked. A message from Daniel. The Daniel who, in her late teens, had spread a vicious rumor that shattered her reputation. She stared at the screen, her vision swimming.

She instinctively reached for her phone, but stopped. Her breath was shallow, her chest tight. She reread the message, the words echoing the cruelty of the past. Her hands were cold. The walls of her apartment suddenly seemed to press in on her.

She rose from her chair, pacing her apartment like a caged animal. She had to do something. She needed to do something, anything. Finally, she collapsed on the couch, the unfinished coffee growing cold in her mug.