Gemotions

He was halfway through drafting his response email when he saw the news. John immediately deleted the words he’d already written. His carefully constructed plans seemed suddenly fragile, like glass about to shatter. Dr. Olsen, his guiding light, was leaving.

He spent the afternoon wandering the campus, avoiding the places they’d frequented. The library, the coffee shop, the bench where they’d often talked – all seemed suddenly tainted with a sense of loss.

He found himself at the edge of the campus, staring at the setting sun. The colors were beautiful, but he couldn't appreciate them. The world, he realized, felt suddenly diminished.