Gemotions

The silence in the laboratory was deafening. Sarah had arrived expecting to discuss the latest findings with Dr. Albright, to review the data, but the lab was empty. The usual sterile smell of chemicals was replaced by the faint, almost sweet scent of old books and dust. A single note, taped to the door of the main lab, informed her of his departure. She stared at the note, her eyes wide, a slow heat rising in her cheeks.

She spun around, scanning the equipment. Everything was in perfect order, as if he had simply stepped away for a moment. But a moment that stretched into eternity. The floorboards creaked under her weight as she felt the full weight of his departure and what it would now mean for her research. Her carefully constructed plans felt as if they were dissolving into vapor.