Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the lab seemed to mock Elias as he stared at Dr. Aris' empty desk. A single, half-eaten granola bar sat abandoned, a testament to hurried departures. His stomach churned. He hadn't seen his mentor, his guiding star, in a week. He checked his phone again, the screen blank. No email. No text. Just…gone. Elias ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, the action a familiar ritual when facing a problem he couldn't grasp. The meticulous organization he usually took pride in seemed pointless now, the charts and graphs just a jumble of meaningless symbols. He felt a deep, pervasive unease, like a cold draft had snaked its way into his bones.