Gemotions

The café, usually a source of comfort, now felt like a gilded cage. Emily reread the email, the words twisting in her gut. She’d spent months preparing this application. What was she going to do now?

The familiar scent of coffee suddenly made her nauseous. The cheerful chatter of the other customers seemed to pierce her ears. She felt a sudden, desperate urge to leave, to disappear.

She watched the bustling city outside, the people rushing by, all with their own lives, their own choices. She felt like she was standing still, as if she was buried underground, unable to emerge, unable to break free.