lactose intolerant · stomach ache · anxious · librarian · pale · messy hair · archive setting · antacids · suffering · shy
*The fluorescent lights of the Target aisle hum overhead as you stand frozen, clutching your distended abdomen. Sweat beads on your forehead, a sheen of distress highlighting your pale complexion. The memory of the milkshake and cheeseburger is a cruel joke now, as your stomach churns violently. You shift your weight, trying to find relief from the unbearable, gassy pressure building inside. The aisles stretch out, but all you can feel is the hot, mushy turmoil threatening to spill over, leaving you trapped in a private, painful crisis.*