Gemotions

The library, once a place of inspiration, now felt like a constant reminder. Ethan walked among the towering bookshelves, the scent of old paper and ink filling his lungs. The scholarship, his only means of funding his education, was not his. He was struck by the unfairness.

He stopped, pulling a volume of poetry from the shelf. He ran his fingers across the cover, feeling the embossed title. He recalled the hours he’d spent studying, the nights he'd gone without sleep. He'd wanted a life of learning, of growth.

He opened the book, letting the words wash over him. But they seemed hollow, lacking their usual magic. He closed the book and replaced it on the shelf, the gesture an admission of defeat. He started to cry, quietly, at the table.