Gemotions

The walk to the lab was a chore. Each footfall was deliberate, as if he were traversing a minefield. The sunlight seemed too bright, the air thick with the unspoken. He’d spent the whole morning staring blankly at his computer screen, unable to focus.

He had expected a congratulatory email. The news of Professor Bell’s departure was a cold shock. A career-ending blow, perhaps. The suddenness of it all felt like a betrayal.

He avoided his reflection in the lab window, not wanting to see the face that reflected the turmoil within. He felt a deep, abiding sense of resentment. He would have to start all over again.