Gemotions

“This is a joke,” Maria breathed, her voice flat. She stared at the screen, the words “University Closure Announced” seeming to mock her. All the work, all the late nights studying, all the dreams she had built, suddenly felt empty and pointless. Her fingers trembled as she refreshed the email page, as if expecting the news to magically disappear.

She pushed back from her desk and began to pace her tiny dorm room. The posters on her walls, once a source of inspiration, seemed to smirk down at her. The books, neatly arranged on the shelf, felt like a betrayal. She felt a growing pressure in her chest, a knot that tightened with every step.