Gemotions

The coffee cup in Daniel’s hand trembled slightly as he walked across campus, his gait slower than usual. He had received the news that morning, a brutal email that had stripped away all his ambition. Everything he had been working towards had become a hollow shell.

He felt a profound sense of hollowness. He’d spent years building a life here, a network of friends, mentors, and professors. He felt as though someone had pulled the rug out from under him. The idea of starting over somewhere else felt insurmountable.

The vibrant colours of the fall semester seemed to mock him, the cheerful students and the bustling campus activities felt incredibly far away from him. He watched them from the sidewalk, his body heavy, his thoughts like an endless, grey maze.