Gemotions

"What do you mean, 'published'?" Clara hissed into the phone, her voice tight. She stood in the middle of the library, surrounded by the quiet rustle of turning pages, the only sound breaking the silence. She gripped the phone so tightly her knuckles were white.

Her friend, on the other end, chattered on about the article, about how "inspiring" her essay was. Clara just wanted it to stop, for it to all disappear. The cool air conditioning felt suddenly frigid, raising goosebumps on her arms.

She felt a sudden urge to scream, to lash out. Instead, she excused herself and quickly moved outside, the sunlight blinding after the dim interior. She needed air, to breathe. The world felt too small.