Gemotions

Her appetite vanished, replaced by a knot of unease in her stomach. “I’m going to California,” Emily had said, a bright smile on her face. Sarah, however, found herself struggling to swallow, a wave of nausea washing over her.

She picked at her food, pushing the pasta around on her plate. It looked utterly unappetizing. The restaurant, usually a haven of comfort, now seemed overly bright, the sounds of conversation irritating.

Later, she wandered aimlessly through the city, the familiar streets feeling foreign. The bright lights of the storefronts blurred, the sounds of the traffic grew louder. She stopped at a park, sat on a bench, and watched the world move around her, a world from which she suddenly felt detached.