Gemotions

The email sat in her inbox, a stark white rectangle against the muted grey of her laptop screen. She reread the subject line, the words blurring slightly. *Professor Anya Sharma – Farewell Announcement.* A tremor went through her, starting in her toes and spreading upwards. She took a deep breath, the air catching in her throat, a sudden tightness constricting her chest. She clicked the mouse, the sound magnified in the silence of her apartment. Her thesis, her future, all hinged on this woman.

The words swam before her eyes. *…accepted a position… University of California, Berkeley… effective… next semester…* Her stomach twisted. She felt an unwelcome lightness in her head, like she might float away. She leaned back in her chair, the sudden movement making her heart pound against her ribs.

The kitchen clock ticked, each second echoing her internal disquiet. She wanted to scream, to lash out, to do *something*. Instead, she just stared at the screen, the impending void of her advisor's departure looming.