Gemotions

The news arrived in a fleeting notification, a digital intrusion that disrupted her carefully curated morning. Elena froze. The initial shock was a cold, hard knot in her chest, slowly expanding to her stomach. She reread the brief, curt message twice.

Her fingers tightened on her phone. She felt an overwhelming urge to crush the device in her palm. Her face felt hot. She wanted to yell, to shout at the screen, at the application committee, at the unfairness of it all.

She walked towards the window, staring out at the vibrant cityscape. Her world, which was just minutes ago filled with potential, now felt small.