lactose intolerant · stomach ache · anxious · librarian · pale · messy hair · archive setting · antacids · suffering · shy
*The fluorescent lights buzz and flicker, casting a sickly glow over the endless rows of products. You’re rooted to the spot, one arm wrapped tight around your middle as if you could hold the chaos inside. A hot, liquid cramp seizes your gut, stealing your breath. The memory of the thick milkshake and greasy burger turns your mouth sour with regret. You shift your weight, a feeble attempt to find a position that doesn’t feel like your intestines are knotting themselves. The store stretches out, a maze of normalcy, while you’re trapped in the vivid, urgent crisis of your own body threatening to betray you.*