Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the dorm room, painting the dust motes dancing in the air gold. Maya stretched, a luxurious, slow movement, her fingers tracing the outline of her toes. She’d finally finished her accounting problem set, and the weight on her shoulders, which had been a heavy iron bar for the last few days, felt like a feather. She decided to get some snacks.

She wandered over to her desk, intending to grab her phone for a GrubHub order. Her eyes caught on the glossy, new copy of the university’s admissions guide lying on top of her pile of textbooks. Absentmindedly, she flipped it open, scanning the sample essays.

Her breath hitched. There, on page 27, under the heading "A Personal Journey," was her essay. Her name was there, too. A wave of disbelief washed over her, then a thrill, followed by the dizzying sensation of falling.