Gemotions

From his dorm window, Daniel watched the rain fall, a grey curtain obscuring the quad. He’d barely touched the ramen noodles in front of him. He felt strangely numb, a detachment he couldn’t quite explain. The news had left him feeling… flat.

He had no family to fall back on, no safety net. He had, as they said, to fend for himself. The thought was a cold gust of wind against his skin. He realized that the dream of a fulfilling career, the one he’d been chasing for years, was slipping through his fingers.

He shifted in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position, a physical manifestation of his inner turmoil. The rain intensified, and he felt a growing sense of isolation, a feeling that he was alone on a ship without a rudder. He picked up his fork and poked at the noodles. They were cold.