Gemotions

The news landed like a punch to the gut. Michael’s breath hitched. He re-read the email, as if a different outcome would magically appear. His carefully constructed plans, the years of hard work, felt like they were crumbling to dust.

He went outside, the crisp autumn air doing nothing to soothe the tightness in his throat. He slumped against a tree, his shoulders slumped and his face dropped to his chest. The falling leaves seemed to mock him, swirling down in a chaotic, purposeless dance. He kicked at a loose stone, sending it skittering across the cracked pavement.