Gemotions

The chair squeaked as Elena leaned back, the sound grating on her nerves. The email, confirming Professor Carter’s departure, felt like a slap in the face. She felt a wave of emptiness. The lab, usually a source of comfort, now seemed sterile and unfamiliar.

She opened her lab notebook and then slammed it shut. The carefully drawn diagrams, the detailed notes, all suddenly felt meaningless. She felt a tightening in her chest, a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil.

She stood up and paced. She had to find a new advisor, she knew that. But the thought of starting over, of explaining her project, of building a new working relationship…it filled her with a sense of dread. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.