Gemotions

"We have to do something," Sarah said, her voice tight with suppressed emotion. The university closure was a disaster. All the promises of a bright future were now in question. The thought of starting over at another school was beyond daunting. She didn't think she could handle it.

She paced back and forth in her tiny apartment, her hands clasped tightly. The air was thick with tension. She tried to focus on something, anything, besides the looming dread. She picked at the chipped paint on the windowsill, the rough edges a distraction.

Later that evening, she started crying, a quiet, shuddering release. She found herself reaching out for her stuffed animal, a childhood comfort she hadn't touched in years. She held it close, its soft fur a small anchor in the storm.