Gemotions

The late-night study session had long lost its appeal. David slumped lower in his chair, the glow of his computer screen reflecting in his tired eyes. He'd been staring at a complex equation for hours, and the numbers seemed to taunt him, their intricate patterns mocking his mental exhaustion. Every breath came with more difficulty.

He glanced at his phone. Another email. But the subject line was different. "Urgent: Campus Closure." His heart rate quickened, a jolt of something he couldn't quite name coursing through him.

He read the words, re-reading them, as if hoping they would change. No such luck. The room spun around him, his carefully laid plans unraveling before his very eyes. He felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to just lie down.