Gemotions

The afternoon light streamed through the library window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Daniel was surrounded by books, the hushed atmosphere a balm to his soul. He lost himself in the intricacies of the history text, utterly absorbed in the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. He traced the elegant script with his fingertip.

A campus security officer approached him, speaking in hushed tones. They guided Daniel to a small office, where a university official waited. The air in the room was stuffy.

The scholarship. An error. The funds, which had allowed him to focus on his studies, had been improperly allocated. He felt a slow, heavy ache spread through his limbs. The once inviting library now seemed claustrophobic. The words on the page blurred.