Gemotions

A tremor ran through Leo’s hands as he reread the email. Professor Armitage, gone? It felt like the bedrock of his academic world was shifting. He remembered his first meeting, the way Armitage’s office smelled of old paper and pipe tobacco. He’d walked in, fresh-faced and intimidated, and Armitage had simply smiled, a kind, crinkling smile that had instantly put him at ease. Now, that smile was leaving, heading for… what? Another university, another student to guide. Leo sighed, letting his shoulders slump. He felt a profound sense of loss, a gap forming in the landscape of his future.

The weight of the unwritten chapters of his thesis pressed down on him. Would he ever feel as understood by another mentor? He walked over to the window, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the empty campus quad. The air felt thick, heavy with the unspoken promise of endings. The thought of starting anew, finding his feet with a new advisor… it felt impossible, a task far beyond his current emotional capacity.