Gemotions

The afternoon sun, usually a welcome visitor, seemed to mock Clara as it streamed through her office window. Professor Olsen’s news. The abruptness of it. It made her chest tighten. She felt a phantom sensation of being off balance.

She tried to focus on the research paper she was working on, but the words swam before her eyes. She reread the same paragraph four times, unable to absorb a single word. She felt the urge to pace, but instead, she leaned back in her chair, the leather creaking in protest.

She ran her hands across her face, feeling the prickle of unshed tears behind her eyes. What would become of her project? Of her future? All the meticulous planning, the late nights, the sacrifices… Were they all for nothing? The idea felt like a physical assault, a crushing weight on her chest.