Gemotions

The accusation hung in the air, thick and suffocating like the humidity that had settled over the campus. Liam stared at the notification on his laptop, the words blurring. His stomach churned, a cold knot forming in the pit. He hadn't slept properly in days, the pressure of deadlines a constant weight. Now this. He leaned back in his chair, the squeak of the plastic grating on his ears. He should email the professor, he knew that. But the thought of composing the message felt like scaling an impossible mountain. Instead, he closed the laptop, the sudden silence amplifying the thudding in his chest.

The sunlight streaming through his window seemed too bright, too intrusive. He pulled the curtains shut, plunging the room into a dim, dusty twilight. He’d skipped breakfast again. He often forgot to eat. What was the point, anyway? He wrapped his arms around himself, a futile attempt to ward off the chill that seemed to emanate from within.

He spent the rest of the day staring at the ceiling, the patterns in the plaster slowly morphing into mocking faces. He felt the weight of the world pressing down on his chest. It was a chore to breathe.