Gemotions

The phone felt heavy in Cara’s hand, the receiver pressed to her ear. She was trying to reach Professor Lee, hoping against hope that the email announcing his departure was some elaborate mistake. The dial tone echoed in her ear, a relentless, monotonous drone. Her apartment, once a haven of creativity and productivity, now felt like a cramped cell. She stared at the overflowing ashtray on her desk, the faint smell of stale cigarettes clinging to the air. She wanted to scream. She wanted to shatter something. The air itself felt thick and unyielding.