Gemotions

“This can’t be happening,” Clara mumbled, her voice barely audible. She'd just opened the email during her shift at the student bookstore. Her fingers felt numb as she stared at the screen. Books, the objects she loved, now seemed alien and useless.

She turned to a coworker, Sarah, and opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. Her eyes welled up. She felt a burning pressure behind her eyes. Sarah saw her expression and reached out, touching Clara’s arm. Clara quickly withdrew, suddenly consumed by shame and the sudden loss of control. The world around her blurred.