Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the research lab seemed to shrink as Dr. Chen boxed up her equipment. She was moving to a grant-writing position in the administrative department, a world away from her beloved experiments.

She pictured the lab assistants she was leaving behind, their faces full of dedication and excitement about their projects. She remembered their nervous excitement, the long hours spent under bright lights.

A wave of frustration washed over her. She knew how much they loved science, and she understood what it was like to be passionate about a project.

She paused, carefully placing a delicate vial into a padded box. She couldn't tell them how sad she was. She could only smile.