Gemotions

A chill snaked up Maya’s spine as Professor Davies cleared his throat. He’d called her in, she’d assumed it was about the final revisions. Now, his words hung in the air: “I’ve accepted a position elsewhere.” Her stomach clenched. The meticulously crafted research proposal, the months of late nights – all felt suddenly precarious.

She managed a weak smile, hoping it masked the sudden pressure in her chest. “Oh,” she said, her voice sounding far away.

Davies continued, detailing the transition. Maya nodded, her gaze fixed on a crack in the plaster above his desk. It was just a crack, but it was all she could focus on. She felt a profound sense of instability, like the ground had shifted beneath her feet.