Higher Education

Terry was sweating nervously. They didn’t do well in public places, yet found themselves in an old bookstore searching for a novel. Although their English Literature 301 course was completely online, the book the professor wanted everyone to read was somehow completely unavailable online. Every store that did online orders was out of stock, there were no electronic versions available anywhere. Hence, having to physically go to a local book shop with sweat-filled palms and adrenal glands bringing them to the point of a panic attack. They were far too terrified to talk to the clerk, so they had spent the past hour nervously scanning the racks over and over looking for the title.

“Just so you know, we’ll be closing in about five minutes, hun!”

The gentleness of the elderly woman’s voice did not assuage Terry’s ever-mounting anxiety. They started pulling books out at random, trying to absorb the titles before thrusting them back onto the shelf in a haphazard fashion. The words were a blur as their heart rate reached terminal velocity, threatening to choke them into unconsciousness. The first row of lights being turned off sounded like a thunderclap in their ears and they felt as if all atomic motion stopped. All they could hear was their own heartbeat, muffled by the panic. They struggled to breath before realizing they only thing stopping them from breathing was them. They let it out slow, trying to calm themselves when they saw it.

A Disappearance. Author unknown.

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