Gemotions

"Professor Davies is *what*?" Sarah stammered, her voice cracking. The department secretary repeated the news, her tone devoid of emotion. Sarah felt a cold dread creep through her, freezing her bones. The news felt like a physical blow. She felt a sudden urge to flee.

She had been working on her thesis for over a year and the thought of starting again with a new advisor felt impossible. Her vision blurred, and the familiar scent of the department felt suffocating. She grabbed for the door handle.

Her hands were slick with sweat. Her mind raced with possible scenarios, each more terrifying than the last. Would she have to change her topic? Would her research be deemed irrelevant? She hurried from the department building, needing to escape.

She stumbled onto the quad, the bright sunlight seeming hostile. She needed to breathe. She needed to think. She needed to figure out what to do.