Gemotions

The hum of the espresso machine at the café did little to soothe the building pressure inside Emily. She'd sought refuge in a used copy of "Mrs. Dalloway," seeking a distraction from the constant low-level anxiety she carried.

Between pages describing Clarissa's preparations for her party, a train ticket, unused and dated, spilled out. It was a first-class ticket to a place she’d never heard of. The destination was listed as a remote coastal town.

Emily felt a jolt, as if struck by electricity. She looked around, suddenly acutely aware of the chatter around her, the clatter of the cups, the movement of people in the street. The simple object had triggered a cascade of disorientation, a profound sense of wrongness. She clutched the book to her chest, her knuckles white.