Gemotions

Sarah stared at the university's announcement, the words on the screen vibrating in a strange, unsettling way. Professor Ramirez was leaving, taking her with him. Or, she realized, she was being left behind. She felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to scrub the kitchen floor. To compensate for her lack of progress, she would make herself useful in some other ways.

She'd been too slow, too hesitant, too...stupid. She should have worked harder, been more proactive. The familiar knot of tension tightened in her chest. She grabbed a sponge and a bottle of bleach, the sharp scent a jarring contrast to the quiet despair settling over her.

The apartment suddenly felt too small, the walls closing in. She needed to do something, anything, to quell the mounting unease. She scrubbed harder, the repetitive motion a desperate attempt to erase the feeling of inadequacy.