Gemotions

“Can you believe it?” Mark’s friend, Jake, said, but Mark just stared at his plate, the food untouched. The news of the college shutting down had stolen his appetite. He felt like he'd been punched. The conversation around him seemed distant, muffled.

The laughter of the other students in the cafeteria felt wrong, intrusive. He had to clench his jaw to keep himself from yelling. He felt as if the air around him was being sucked out.

Later, he went back to his room and lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The world was spinning. He stayed there for hours, the shadows lengthening in the room, mirroring the darkness in his thoughts.