Gemotions

He hadn't been to class all week. The email had ruined him. "A Shining Example: 'The Color of Loss'." His essay, now a subject of critical analysis. He sat curled up on his bed, the blinds drawn, the room shrouded in perpetual twilight.

He ran his hands over his face, as if to scrub away the unwanted attention. A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes. He reached for the bottle of water on his nightstand, his hand trembling. The world felt muffled, distant, as if he were trapped behind a wall of glass.

He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could simply erase it all. He wanted to forget the essay. Forget the college. Forget everything.