Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, the subject line a stark declaration. Denial. Her stomach clenched. She reread the message, each word a hammer blow. Her fingers, usually nimble on the keyboard, fumbled as she scrolled through the rejection.

A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. She swivelled her chair, glancing out the window. The park across the street seemed innocuous, but her mind conjured images of shadowy figures, of unseen hands. She locked the door to her dorm room, even though she knew it was pointless.

She started pacing, the familiar confines of her room suddenly feeling like a cage. She couldn't afford to fail. She couldn't afford *anything*.