Gemotions

Her stomach twisted as she read the professor's comments on her literature essay. A flood of something akin to sadness washed over her. The words, once a source of comfort, now seemed to mock her. She felt hollow.

She wandered the campus, the usual bustle and excitement feeling like a cruel taunt. The laughter of other students grated on her ears. She felt a heavy weight, pulling her down.

She sat alone on a bench, watching the leaves fall from the trees, each one a symbol of decay. She felt an echo of the leaves’ eventual fate in her own spirit. She hunched her shoulders, trying to shield herself from the world.