Gemotions

The cold, sterile atmosphere of the pawn shop amplified the pounding in Emily's head. The fluorescent lights flickered erratically, casting strange, dancing shadows on the walls. She felt as though she were trapped in a bad dream. Seeing the ring, her grandmother’s, felt like a punch to the gut. She hadn't felt this crushed in years.

A wave of nausea churned in her stomach. She needed to sit down, to breathe, to escape. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if she could physically hold herself together. Her vision blurred, and the world seemed to tilt precariously.