Gemotions

He was at the university gym, his headphones blasting music, trying to work off some stress. He saw a text from his advisor, and he paused, his chest becoming tight. His muscles tensed. He opened the message and read its short, blunt sentences. The music suddenly seemed discordant, the clanging weights seemed unbearably loud.

He slowly removed his headphones, the world seeming to lose a little of its color. He felt a hollowness in his chest, a sense of disorientation. The simple, repetitive movements of his workout routine now felt absurd. He didn’t know what to do next.