Sinking Feeling

That awful sinking feeling. It starts in the very pit of your stomach as a sort of tugging. It spreads and becomes a twisting sensation, causing your stomach to lurch. Your insides become tight and wrenched. It quickly spreads up the front of your ribcage and fills your whole chest. Your chest is constricted and breathing becomes very difficult. It feels as though something has enclosed your heart and is steadily squeezing it. Your mind doesn't want to believe it and goes into denial. But that gut feeling knows it's true and knows it's coming. A fiery sensation runs up the back of your neck and your head becomes hot, causing your jaw to clench and your eyes to become hard. The same fire blazes throughout the rest of your body and every muscle tightens. You're rigid and tense, not wanting to believe what you're about to hear, yet knowing there's no avoiding it. Hot head, constricted chest, and lurching stomach, you wait. Your eyes focus on nothing, but absorb everything. All of your senses sharpen, but are tuned to nothing in particular. You don't move independently, but nor do you shy away from any touch. You simply are at this point. Just waiting. Fighting and waiting. There is nothing else that you can do.