Gemotions

The university hallway felt vast and empty. He dragged his feet, each step echoing in the silence. The weight of the impending meeting pressed down on him, a physical burden. He knew the outcome. He had seen the pattern play out so many times before.

He considered turning around, walking away. What would be the difference? He'd face the inevitable later. But his feet kept moving. They moved him toward his doom. The door to the professor's office loomed.

He stopped, took a deep breath. His lungs felt restricted, like he was breathing through a clogged pipe. He knocked.