Gemotions

It was the end of a long, ordinary Thursday. Elena had just finished grading papers in her office, a familiar ritual. She reached for her coffee mug, then saw the email. The words blurred at first, as if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Then, clarity. The words seemed to echo in the silent space. She sat down, slowly.

Her shoulders slumped. She wanted to scream, to weep. She felt a profound sense of betrayal. The walls of her office seemed to close in on her, and the scent of old books and dried ink became suddenly suffocating. She couldn't believe it.