Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Amelia's temple as Professor Davies cheerfully announced his departure. The words hung in the air, thick and cloying like cheap perfume. His smile seemed...off, stretched too wide, his eyes unusually bright. She gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white. Why the sudden announcement? He’d been so enthusiastic about her research just last week.

She excused herself from the meeting, claiming a headache. Outside, the autumn wind whipped around her, a sharp contrast to the stuffy lab. Her breath hitched. Something felt wrong, like a puzzle piece missing from a familiar picture. She walked past the library, stopping and then turning abruptly to observe the parking lot, as if expecting something to happen.

Later that evening, she replayed the conversation in her mind, again and again. Every detail, every inflection. Davies had been acting peculiar. The way he kept glancing at his watch. The way he evaded her questions about his future plans.