Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, a stark white rectangle against the muted colors of her desktop. Dr. Ramirez, her advisor, was moving to a prestigious research institute in Switzerland. Amelia felt a cold knot tighten in her stomach. She reread the message, each word a tiny hammer blow against her composure. He’d barely mentioned it in their last meeting, just a vague comment about "new opportunities."

She clicked on the reply button, then deleted the draft after a single, frustrated character: "W." The draft stayed blank, the cursor blinking, a silent taunt. Amelia slammed her laptop shut. The sudden darkness made her wince.

She walked to the window and stared out at the campus, the leaves on the trees already starting to turn. Her own research, the project Dr. Ramirez had been guiding, felt suddenly hollow, devoid of its former purpose. The Swiss Institute. Why not her?