Gemotions

The world outside Leo's window seemed excessively bright, the sun's rays stabbing at his eyes. He shielded them with a hand, the gesture born of habit rather than necessity. He felt oddly disconnected from the day, from the bustling campus life just beyond his dorm room door.

A hollow sensation echoed in his stomach. He hadn't bothered to eat breakfast, the thought of food now completely unappealing. Every muscle felt slack, as if gravity had increased its pull.

He slumped further into his chair, the wood digging into his back. The essay he had been working on sat unfinished on his desk, the words a jumbled mess of half-formed ideas. The rejection notice, still clutched in his hand, seemed to radiate a cold, unwelcome presence.