Gemotions

The news, delivered by a frantic friend, hit him during a philosophy seminar. He'd been battling the urge to nap. Now, he was wide awake. His hand flew to his mouth to prevent an outburst, then he just let loose, releasing the laughter as though it was a physical weight leaving his body.

He felt like a balloon, suddenly untethered, floating away from the drab realities of campus life. He felt an intense urge to dance, a forgotten urge. He felt the need to make a grand gesture, something impulsive and ridiculous. He wanted to climb something, shout something, break something. He clapped his hands together, several times.

He excused himself from the room and sprinted down the hall. His steps were long and bounding, his gait uninhibited. He took the stairs, two at a time, then burst out into the sunlight.