Gemotions

Eliza, a junior, felt a surge of energy as she hurried toward the student union. She had spent the morning working on a new design for her architectural project. The feeling of finally grasping the concepts, the satisfaction of creating something beautiful, invigorated her.

A mass email landed in her inbox. “Mandatory Meeting.” The tone of the email made her stomach clench. The president's speech was brief, the message brutal: the university was done. Her face burned. The color drained from her cheeks. She was frozen.

The world seemed to shrink around her. Her vibrant future, once so clear, became uncertain, a blur of unanswered questions. She crumpled the email in her hand.