Gemotions

The invitation felt heavy in Elara's hand, a lead weight dragging down her arm. The thought of Dad's retirement party was a dull ache in the back of her head, a persistent throb she couldn't seem to shake. She’d promised to speak, of course. Duty, the familiar pull, was as difficult to ignore as the overwhelming urge to simply...stop.

The drive to the venue was a blur of traffic and muted colors. Even the radio's upbeat tunes sounded distant and muffled, like a sound heard underwater.

Standing at the podium, a dry mouth and a cottony tongue made the words feel cumbersome. Each syllable was a laborious crawl, an effort to drag across the room and engage the crowd. Her mind felt like a vast, empty plain.