Gemotions

The news hit Emily like a sudden, unexpected gust of wind. The email had arrived while she was grocery shopping. She stopped dead in her tracks, her hands instinctively clutching at her chest. The title: “How I Found My Voice in the Chorus.” Her essay. On a university website.

She stared, unblinking, at the notification on her phone. She felt a profound and sudden disquiet. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath.

She scanned her surroundings, acutely conscious of the other shoppers, the fluorescent lights, the overwhelming smell of the produce section. This was… odd.