Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Liam sat at his desk, staring at the email. Professor Evans was leaving for a tenured position at a well-regarded university, a place that, he imagined, resembled a picturesque postcard. Liam, stuck in a crowded office with limited resources, felt a sudden, unpleasant pressure in his chest. He looked at the half-finished code on his screen.

He remembered Professor Evans' constant encouragement, the praise he had given for his work. Now, Evans was trading this life for a better one, leaving Liam behind, alone to struggle with his thesis in the same old, tired office. He wanted to feel happy for his advisor, but instead, he felt a strange, cold emptiness.

He opened a new document, deleted the work he had done that morning, and closed his eyes.