Gemotions

The notification pinged, and Maya froze. The small, unassuming bubble on her phone contained a world of potential, or, now, its opposite. With a shaky hand, she tapped it open. The words, "We regret to inform you," swam before her eyes.

The air seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe. She felt a sudden, desperate urge to flee, to run away from the confines of her small dorm room and the crushing weight of disappointment. She pushed herself away from the desk, her legs clumsy and uncertain, and stumbled towards the door.

She needed to be outside, to feel the sun on her skin, anything but this suffocating sense of despair. The world beyond her door looked bright and impossibly distant.