Gemotions

The email landed with a thud, a digital brick in Elias's inbox. Professor Armitage was departing. Leaving. Just like that. Elias swiveled in his chair, the squeak of the plastic a grating counterpoint to the hollow feeling in his stomach. He hadn’t even finished the literature review, and now… this. He pictured Armitage’s smug little smile, the way he’d tap his pen impatiently during meetings. A wave of heat flushed Elias’s cheeks. Good riddance.

He slammed the laptop shut, the abrupt noise echoing in the otherwise silent study. He glanced at the overflowing coffee mug on his desk, the stale aroma suddenly sickening. Maybe he'd take a long walk. Preferably, one that didn't involve the university campus.