Gemotions

Liam stared at the typed message, his pulse hammering against his ribs. Professor Ramirez, his advisor, was departing. He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. *Imminent departure.* The announcement felt like a punch to the gut. The familiar, reassuring hum of the university's air conditioning system seemed to morph into a threatening growl.

He found himself pacing his tiny apartment, phone clutched tight in his fist. He considered calling his advisor, but the thought of his voice cracking, of betraying the turmoil churning inside him, stopped him.

The weight of the impending change pressed on him. He felt pinned by invisible forces, and a prickly sensation crawled up his spine. His thesis, his future, all felt suddenly… precarious.