Gemotions

The afternoon sun blazed through the window of Ethan's apartment, casting long shadows across the room. He sat hunched over his laptop, staring at the screen, the remnants of a late lunch, untouched, on the table beside him. A strange lethargy had settled over him, like a thick blanket. He felt slow, his thoughts muddled.

An email arrived. It was from the university. He saw the words, "Your Essay as a Model," and for a moment, he just stared, the meaning failing to penetrate the fog in his brain. Slowly, with great effort, he clicked. The essay, his carefully crafted words, were displayed prominently, and he felt a wave of profound weariness. He rubbed his face, his eyelids heavy with the building weight of exhaustion.