Gemotions

The afternoon light filtered through the dusty windows of the art studio, illuminating the swirls of dried paint on the floor. Ethan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching a fellow student work on a pottery wheel. He couldn't muster the motivation to begin his own project. He’d won a scholarship, and he was so happy. Now he was in the middle of a massive art block.

A notification popped up, its bright screen jarring against the subdued light. The scholarship was being reassessed. A second later, the news came. The scholarship was gone. He looked at his hands, feeling a strange disconnect from his body. His stomach churned. The world felt muffled.