Gemotions

A tremor ran through Elara's hand as she gripped the coffee cup. The email sat, mocking, in her inbox. Dr. Ramirez was departing? After all the time she'd poured into this project, all the late nights fueled by instant ramen and caffeine, the man was just… leaving? She slammed the cup onto the desk, sloshing coffee across the polished wood.

She rose, pacing the cramped confines of her office. The air felt thick, suffocating. He’d promised her. Promised to see her through, to help her publish. Now, what? She felt a tightening in her chest, a burning sensation she couldn’t quite place.

"Unbelievable," she muttered, the word a hot breath against her lips. She thought of the countless hours spent refining her methods, battling recalcitrant data, all under his guidance. Gone. Poof. Like a magician's trick.