Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the dorm room, illuminating dust motes that danced in the stagnant air. Claire stared blankly at her laptop screen, the cursor blinking mockingly on a blank document. She had a paper due tonight, a presentation tomorrow. All she could do was stare at the screen.

She had been avoiding her roommate, Olivia, all day, and avoided her own responsibilities. She heard Olivia talking on the phone with a friend in the hallway. Claire's journal sat open on the desk, the page displaying a collection of her most private fears and opinions.

The feeling in Claire's chest was a heavy, sinking sensation, but the prospect of any action, of initiating a conversation, felt like scaling a cliff face. She remained seated, paralyzed, and watched the shadows lengthen.