Gemotions

"It's just… awful," said Ben, his voice a low monotone. He'd spent his time at the college as a quiet observer, an anonymous face in the crowd. He hadn't formed any deep connections, hadn't participated in any clubs, hadn't made any lasting friendships.

He had lived on the periphery of campus life, content to drift along without making any waves. Now, looking at the news, the sense of numbness was replaced with a different and sharper pain. He picked up his phone, but he didn't call anyone.

He had been so focused on his own life that he'd become disconnected from the community around him. He'd been too afraid to reach out, to connect. Now, with the college closing, he felt a crushing sense of isolation, a weight that pressed down on him with the force of his own inaction.