Gemotions

The newspaper lay open on the kitchen counter, the headline screaming: “New Smoothie Sensation Sweeping the Nation!” Sarah felt a tightness in her chest, a feeling of constraint. The recipe, the exact combination of fruits and vegetables, was printed in the article, credited to a "Wellness Guru." She knew it intimately. Her own, handwritten recipe card, stained with banana and berry juice, sat in the drawer.

She started pacing, back and forth, the floorboards groaning under her feet. She'd shared her recipe with a friend, a friend who had always seemed more interested in her success than her well-being. The taste in her mouth soured.

Later, she found herself staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her face seemed pale, her eyes wide, the pupils dilated. She felt a growing impatience, a restless energy. She splashed cold water on her face, but the sensation did little to ease the prickling sensation under her skin.