Gemotions

The news seemed to suck the air from the room. Kai scrolled through the email again, as if the words might change. This place had been his home, his solace. He pictured the quiet moments with friends.

He thought of the janitor, Mr. Chen, who always had a smile and a kind word. What would become of him? The thought was overwhelming. His stomach lurched.

Kai closed his eyes, replaying the last few years, the laughter, the learning, the shared struggles. He would miss it. He felt that there wasn’t a single thing he could do.