Gemotions

The notification popped up. "Congratulations! Your essay, 'The Weight of the World,' is now featured on our website!" Sarah's jaw clenched. That essay. About her grandmother's death. It felt like she'd been naked and open-hearted.

She leaned back in her chair, the air thick with tension. It had been her way to feel strong in a time of weakness. She stared at the screen, a knot forming in her stomach. The university was essentially saying, "Here's how this girl demonstrated strength."

She felt a wave of nausea, followed by a sudden, intense desire to scream. She had felt her grandmother's hand in hers at the end. She had felt the absence of light in the room, and she had written it. She felt the urge to do *something*. She didn't let herself look away from the screen, and she felt a smile grow on her lips. She could show them strength.