Gemotions

The news felt like a lead weight in his stomach. Professor Moreau, his advisor, was leaving. It was a bad omen. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache begin to form. The thought of writing, of reading, of any kind of intellectual effort made his head pound harder.

He needed something to distract him. He scrolled through his phone, looking for the easy way out. He found it in social media. Hours passed in a blur of endless scrolling.

The day waned, and the sunlight faded. He sat still, the weight in his stomach growing heavier.