Gemotions

Liam stared at the photograph on his desk, a picture of him and Professor Chen laughing during a research trip to the Galapagos. The news had hit him like a physical blow. His mentor, the person who had fueled his passion for marine biology, was leaving.

He closed his eyes, his head throbbing. He pictured Professor Chen’s office, the shelves overflowing with books, the smell of old paper and coffee, and felt a profound sense of loss. He found himself staring blankly out the window, the bustling campus below suddenly seemed far away and unimportant.

He pushed back from his desk, the chair scraping against the floor. He needed air, needed to move. He headed to the campus gym, the rhythmic thud of the treadmill a poor attempt to match the chaotic hammering in his heart.