Gemotions

She found the article while browsing the online library. Her research, her words, her ideas. But a different name stared back at her from the byline. The blood drained from her face. She felt a strange detachment, as if she were watching someone else's life fall apart.

She closed the laptop, the sudden darkness momentarily blinding. The air in her small apartment seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe. She walked to the window, staring at the cityscape, a blur of lights and shadows.

She knew what she should do. She didn't have the energy. She could barely get out of bed in the morning, let alone fight a losing battle.
She just needed some silence, and time.