Gemotions

The professor had announced the news at the end of class. The room seemed to shrink, the air thick with unspoken fear. Mark, usually chatty and eager to debate, felt a sudden paralysis. His throat closed up. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move.

He sat rigidly in his chair as everyone around him began to chatter amongst themselves. He wanted to join the conversation, to ask questions, to scream. Instead, he just stared at the worn wooden desk in front of him. The familiar scent of chalk and old books usually comforting, was now nauseating. He felt as though he’d been struck by a blow.