Gemotions

"Coffee?" Mark slurred, his voice thick with disinterest. He pushed away from the whiteboard, the marker clattering onto the floor. The words, "Theoretical Framework: Unresolved Issues" glared back at him. He’d barely slept in days, fueled only by instant noodles and the crushing weight of his unwritten thesis. The news had hit him like a physical blow. Dr. Ramirez, his advisor, was moving to a research institute across the country. The thought of starting over with someone new seemed like traversing an endless desert.