The air in the office grew so thick and heavy that I could hardly breathe. It pressed down on me, filling my chest with a strange weight that made each breath shallow and uneven. My knees felt weak, like they didn’t belong to me anymore, and I had to squeeze my thighs together to keep from wobbling. I wanted to take a step back, maybe even turn around and run to the door, but my body refused to move. It was like something invisible kept me locked in place.

My mind was a storm. Thoughts ...