Gemotions

The crisp autumn air invigorated David as he walked to campus. A new semester, a fresh start. He'd finally finished that screenplay, and his professor had given him encouraging feedback. He practically bounced into the dorm. But the sight of his journal on his desk, its spine cracked in an unfamiliar way, instantly quelled his energy.

He glanced at his roommate, Ben, who was meticulously cleaning his headphones. "Hey, man," David began, his voice surprisingly steady. "Everything good?"

Ben looked up, a blank expression on his face. "Yeah, why?"

That night, David stared at the ceiling for hours, the vibrant colors of his imagination beginning to dim.