Gemotions

He sat in the departmental office, the fluorescent lights humming a monotonous tune. Professor Davies, his advisor, had just delivered the news with a smile that felt a little too bright. He stared at his hands, folded neatly in his lap. Everything seemed to fade into a gentle gray, a quiet absorption of sound and light. His thesis, his research, suddenly felt distant, like a picture hanging far across a room. He barely registered the professor’s attempts to soothe him, offering to help with transition plans. He just nodded, small movements, his gaze fixed on the worn carpet. He would write a thank you note later, he decided. A very short one.