Gemotions

"Excuse me?" The question was a near-whisper, laced with disbelief. Ben stared at the head of the scholarship committee, the man's words hanging in the air like a noxious vapor. His breathing became shallow, rapid.

He felt a tightness in his chest, making it difficult to draw a full breath. The blood seemed to rush from his head, leaving him lightheaded. He felt a strange tingling in his extremities.

His future, once a clear and vibrant path, had become shrouded in a suffocating fog. He could only stare at the man, utterly and completely disoriented.