Gemotions

The notification popped up on Liam's laptop screen as he was researching the optimal angle for a documentary about the campus squirrels. He froze, his hands hovering over the keyboard. The words swam before his eyes: *Effective immediately… due to unforeseen circumstances… closure.* He had sunk so much of himself into this place. The film club, the late-night editing sessions in the basement, the friends he'd made… gone.

He let out a long, slow whistle. He blinked, several times, as though trying to clear away a fog. He stood, bumping into his desk, scattering papers. He began to laugh, a low, breathy sound that vibrated in his chest. A sudden urge to run, to escape this digital declaration, seized him, and he grabbed his keys and bolted out of the dorm.