Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. Emily crumpled on her bed, her shoulders shaking, her breath catching in her throat. She gripped the worn fabric of her comforter, the feeling grounding. Tears welled and spilled down her cheeks.

She tried to rationalize it, to understand. But the facts remained. Her carefully constructed life, her future plans, were now uncertain. She didn’t know what to do.

She felt helpless. She was going to lose her friend, her community, the life she had built. The loss was a painful weight. She curled into a fetal position, wanting to disappear.