Gemotions

The alarm blared, but he didn’t move. He reached for the snooze button, but his hand seemed to weigh ten pounds. He stayed there, under the covers, the prospect of getting out of bed almost unbearable. The day loomed ahead, a series of obligations he was in no mood to face.

In class, he found himself staring out the window, his mind wandering. The professor’s words washed over him without making an impression. The assignments, the tests, all the work that he had to do felt like a punishment. He just wanted to be alone.

He received the news during the afternoon break. The scholarship he depended on was a mistake. He sat in the common room, the words of the email reverberating in his ears. Everything suddenly felt… hollow.