Gemotions

The news struck Daniel with an awful silence. He found himself staring at the screen for an uncomfortably long time. His fingers were still, his mind blank, unable to process what he'd just read. The library around him, usually a place of comfort and purpose, suddenly seemed foreign and unwelcome.

He slowly closed his laptop, as if he could close out the unwanted news. He felt a burning in his throat, and the ache of unshed tears. The familiar scent of old books and coffee seemed to intensify the feeling of utter hopelessness.

He stood up so abruptly that he knocked his chair over. He didn't bother to pick it up. He simply walked out of the library, the world now a blur of muted colors and indistinct sounds. The future stretched before him, a vast and terrifying expanse.