Gemotions

The walk to his apartment, usually filled with the sounds of campus life, felt like an eternity. John dragged his feet, each step a monumental effort. The weight of the news – the imminent shutdown – seemed to press down on him, forcing his shoulders down.

His textbooks felt like lead in his backpack. Every building he passed reminded him of the future he had anticipated, now crumbling. He felt a deep ache in his chest, a constant reminder of the loss. He stopped at a bench and sat down, staring at the ground, and just watched the world go by.