Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the empty lab. Dr. Evans, Emily's mentor, had simply locked up and left. Her keycard no longer worked. There were no emails, no phone calls, no goodbyes.

She gripped her notebook, her knuckles white. She felt a sharp pang of anger, quickly followed by a heavy weight in her chest. She had so many questions, so many experiments to discuss. Now, the future, once a clear path, was suddenly murky.

She paced the lab, her movements erratic. She felt a familiar burn behind her eyes, the sting of unshed tears. The silence of the lab echoed her own sense of being alone, deserted.