Gemotions

The concert hall, usually a place of magic, felt suffocating. The polished wood, the velvet seats, the hushed expectation—it all grated on Olivia. She sat stiffly in her seat, awaiting the performance. She felt like something was missing, a vital element, and the anticipation of the coming show was doing nothing to ease the discomfort. The very idea of the predictable routine filled her with dread.

A message. Her phone vibrated in her purse. A link. Her application essay. She'd almost forgotten it existed. She felt a strange mixture of resentment and irritation. The old words, the old dreams, now felt like chains.