Gemotions

The silence in Michael's empty apartment was suddenly deafening. He had just finished reading the announcement - his college, the place where he'd spent the best years of his life, was closing. A wave of something he didn’t know how to name washed over him.

He got up and walked over to the bookshelf, pulling out a faded copy of the school newspaper. He flipped through the pages, his fingers tracing the headlines and photos. He found himself smiling at an article about a student protest he had participated in, and the memory of the thrill and the camaraderie filled him.

He went to the window, gazing out at the city. The world felt different now. Less colorful. He felt a phantom ache in his chest, a longing for something he couldn't quite grasp.