Gemotions

He stared at the blank page, the cursor blinking mockingly on the screen. The words wouldn’t come. He’d been trying to write his introduction, but the task seemed insurmountable, now. The departure of Professor Chen, his mentor, was a shadow hanging over everything.

He drummed his fingers on the desk, a rapid, erratic rhythm. The air in the room felt thick and heavy, as if the walls were closing in. He felt a sudden, almost desperate need to escape this suffocating space.

He pushed his chair back, the screech echoing in the empty room. He needed to get out, to breathe, to clear his head, but the only thought that kept circling in his mind was: *What now?*