Dionne
I stumbled backward from the door, my legs barely supporting my weight. The corridor tilted and swayed around me as I pressed my back against the cold stone wall, trying to remember how to breathe.
My hands shook violently as I pushed away from the wall and forced myself toward the library, unable to listen to any more of the conversation. I had a task to complete.
The library door felt heavier than it should have when I pushed it open. Three girls looked up from their dusting, their faces curious at my abrupt entrance.
"Chef Marcus needs you," I said, and my voice sounded wrong. Too high. Too breathless. "In the kitchen. Right now."
They exchanged glances but set down their cleaning supplies and filed past me, chattering amongst themselves about the important guests and how stressful the day was. I followed them mechanically, one foot in front of the other, but my mind remained trapped in that room.
