Gemotions

He bounced on the balls of his feet, whistling a jaunty tune as he swung his backpack over his shoulder. Today was the day! After weeks of grueling work, he'd finally finished his coding project. He felt a fizzing energy in his veins, a feeling like he could run a marathon. He spotted the campus president, Dr. Evans, standing near the administration building, a group of students huddled around him.

He approached, curious. The president’s face was drawn, his voice strained. “We have some difficult news.” The words hung in the air, heavy and unwelcome. As the president spoke of budget cuts, of dwindling enrollment, of the college’s impending closure, a chill crept up his spine. His shoulders slumped; his whistling died. He felt a deep hollowness expanding within his chest, replacing the energetic buzz. The world around him, which had been bright and crisp moments ago, suddenly seemed muted, drained of color.