Gemotions

The notification buzzed on Mark’s phone, a simple message heralding the end of an era. Relief flooded him, a tangible wave washing away the tension he'd been carrying for years. He let out a whoop of laughter, startling the old professor beside him. His chest felt light, almost buoyant.

He’d always felt like a square peg in a round hole at this stuffy institution. Now, though, the world had become an oyster, and he was holding the shucking knife. He wanted to learn to surf. He wanted to climb a mountain. He wanted to spend every single day on a beach. It was a new beginning.