Gemotions

Sarah’s fingers fumbled with the clasp of her clutch, the metal cold and unfamiliar. Across the ballroom, she could see her mother beaming, surrounded by a gaggle of colleagues and well-wishers. A wave of heat flushed Sarah’s face. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck as the event's host announced her name. The microphone seemed to magnify the frantic thumping of her heart. She hadn’t prepared.

She walked to the podium, each step an eternity. The faces of the crowd blurred slightly. The lights felt searing hot. Her mouth was dry, her tongue thick and unwieldy. She hoped she wouldn't trip on the way up, it was a long way up.

"Um… hi everyone," she began, her voice a reedy whisper. She cleared her throat, then felt a fresh swell of heat rise from her chest, this time accompanied by a sharp, involuntary tremor in her hands.