Gemotions

The notice was clipped to the door, a flimsy piece of paper, easily overlooked. "Professor Armitage: Retirement Effective Immediately." Amelia traced the words with a trembling finger. He hadn't even sent an email. A hollow ache bloomed in her chest. She remembered all the late nights spent in the lab, the patient explanations, the unwavering belief in her abilities.

She went to his office, the door ajar. Dust motes danced in the sunbeams that sliced through the room. It looked as if time had stopped. Empty. His favorite armchair sat empty. Her hands clenched. She felt a profound sense of loss, a void where his presence used to be. The silence was deafening.