Gemotions

The hum of the server room was a persistent drone that filled the silence of the research lab. David stared at the lines of code on his screen, their meaning vanishing with each passing second. He felt a strange disconnect from his own body, as if he were observing himself from a great distance. He’d been "coding" for hours, but it felt like he hadn't accomplished anything at all.

An email. Dr. Olsen, his advisor, was going on sabbatical, with the strong possibility of not returning. David blinked, the words blurring on the screen. The entire project, his thesis, the culmination of his degree, seemed to dissolve into a meaningless void. He leaned back in his chair, the squeak filling the empty space.