Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the fall leaves outside seemed to mock the grayness settling over Clara. The university, once a beacon of hope and opportunity, was now sinking. It was closing.

The news was a heavy weight. She knew her friend, Ben, who was in his last year, would be devastated. He'd worked so hard. It would be impossible to feel happy. She reached for her phone.

Clara imagined the professors, the staff, the countless dreams dashed by this sudden closure. A tight feeling formed in her chest, a knot of helplessness and a strange ache. She was suddenly exhausted, and the world seemed to tilt.