Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, unread. She could practically feel it radiating a chilly dread. She’d made a cup of chamomile tea, hoping its usual soothing effect would wash over her, but her fingers kept drumming a frantic rhythm against the ceramic mug. Every few seconds she’d glance at the screen again, eyes darting from the subject line – “Important Announcement Regarding University Operations” – to the task list beside her. There was so much she *should* be doing, but her brain felt like a scrambled egg.

She reached for her phone, scrolling through social media, a pointless exercise in distraction. Her jaw was clenched, a dull ache throbbing in her temples. She knew, deep down, what the email probably contained. Whispers had been circulating for weeks.

A sudden, sharp ping from her phone startled her. It was a group text from her friends: "Have you seen the email?!" Amelia swallowed hard, a dry, scratchy sensation in her throat, and finally clicked the message open.