Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. Dr. Aris's terse announcement, tucked amongst departmental newsletters, felt deliberately cold. "Leaving for a position in…" He couldn't even finish reading. His jaw clenched. He’d spent two years, two grueling years, tailoring his research to this man’s eccentric expertise. Now, the rug was yanked. Again.

He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the sterile silence of his apartment. The half-eaten sandwich on his desk suddenly looked repulsive. He shoved it away, a knot forming in his stomach. What was the *point* of it all now?

His phone buzzed. A text from his mother, asking about his progress. He ignored it. He needed to be left alone, left to stew in this… this stagnant pond of disappointment.