Gemotions

The phone call. A brief, polite explanation. Professor Ito was leaving the university. Maria’s breath caught in her throat. The sunlight streaming through her window seemed unnaturally bright, almost hostile.

She sank onto her bed, her legs suddenly weak. A cold, clammy feeling spread through her body. She stared at the ceiling, the carefully constructed plans for her upcoming thesis defense suddenly feeling like a fragile house of cards. She bit her lip, fighting back a wave of… something. She felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach.