Gemotions

The librarian had placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he read the news on a notice board. He was a regular in the library. He felt his face heat up, a blush he attributed to embarrassment. The library was his home away from home.

The usual cacophony of the campus now felt jarring. He watched as students huddled in groups, their voices a mixture of apprehension and disbelief. He avoided them. The thought of joining a conversation, of sharing his feelings, seemed impossibly daunting.

He retreated to his dorm room, pulling the curtains closed. The room was dark and cramped. He felt a deep sense of being utterly alone, in a physical and emotional space.