Gemotions

The email notification popped up, another one from the university, announcing Dr. Klein's farewell reception. David felt a pang of something akin to being punched in the gut. He rubbed his temples, a dull ache throbbing behind his eyes. He clicked the delete button, refusing to engage.

He spent the rest of the day in a haze. The project he was working on, once exciting, now seemed pointless. The code on his screen swam before him, a jumbled mess of symbols that made no sense. He closed his laptop, the click a final, decisive sound in the quiet room.