Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the departure lounge seemed to mock Elena with their incessant hum. Her fingers tapped a frantic rhythm on the armrest, a restless energy coursing through her. She was supposed to be in Greece, celebrating her grandmother's ninetieth birthday. She’d painstakingly picked out a bouquet of her favourite flowers, which now lay wilted in her bag. The plane’s delayed departure felt like a physical blow, a weight pressing down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Each announcement was a fresh stab of pain.