Gemotions

The small, cramped room felt like a prison. The scent of old paper and dust filled Amelia's nostrils, making her head spin. She’d found the treasure trove in her mother's closet. The relentless archiving of her school career. She ran her fingers across a first-grade spelling test.

She felt the old insecurities resurfacing, the sting of perceived inadequacy. The drive to please, the fear of failing. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of her heart. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to break something, anything to escape the invisible chains that bound her.