Gemotions

Maya stared at the pristine white page, the glossy cover of the college admissions guide practically beaming back at her. Her essay. Her deeply personal, meticulously crafted words. It was there, printed in black and white, complete with her name at the end. A coldness crept into her chest, a feeling that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. She reached out, her fingers trembling, and traced the familiar words. She felt disconnected, as if she were viewing a stranger's life.

A wave of nausea hit her, and she quickly set the book down, the thud echoing unnaturally in the silent library. She needed air. Standing abruptly, she nearly knocked over her chair. The room spun, the rows of books blurring into a hazy landscape.

"Are you alright?" a librarian asked, her voice distant and muffled. Maya mumbled something unintelligible and fled.