Gemotions

He watched the steam curl from his lukewarm coffee, the mug a heavy weight in his hand. The university website blinked back at him, the homepage announcing the release of the "Exceptional Essays" anthology. Liam dreaded the idea of opening it. The anticipation was a burden, a lead weight in his chest.

The air in his apartment felt stale, the silence oppressive. He’d barely moved from his desk all morning, the glow of the computer screen the only light in the dim room. A thick, almost sticky, feeling clung to him, making even the simplest actions feel monumental. He had a million things to do, but the impetus seemed to be gone.

He finally clicked on the link. There it was, his essay, bold and stark against the white background. The words felt disconnected, as though written by someone else. A wave of exhaustion washed over him; he just wanted to retreat, to disappear into the quiet of the morning.