Gemotions

The email pinged at 3:00 AM. Sleep-addled and groggy, Chloe squinted at the screen. The subject line jolted her awake: “Urgent: Scholarship Review.” She sat up, heart racing. As she read the words, cold air seemed to seep through her, chilling her to the bone. They were taking back the funds.

She scrambled out of bed, pacing the small apartment. The weight of her circumstances crashed down on her. The classes, the rent, the groceries, all seemed insurmountable now. How would she manage? She bit her lip, a wave of nausea washing over her.

She stared out the window at the empty streets, feeling utterly alone and adrift in the early morning light. The world felt utterly different than it had moments before.