Gemotions

Sarah pushed her chair back from her desk, the screech echoing in the empty lab. The news, delivered with a casual air during a brief meeting, had taken the wind from her sails. The thought of finding a new advisor, of explaining her project all over again, made her shoulders slump. They felt heavy, as if made of lead. She stared at the complex chemical formulas scrawled across her whiteboard, once a source of excitement, now a confusing jumble.

She hadn't slept well in days. She found it difficult to concentrate during experiments. She had a persistent headache that throbbed at the temples.

She rubbed her temples. The air in the lab felt thick, stagnant, as if it were holding her breath along with her. She glanced at the clock – another hour before she could leave. The day stretched before her, an expanse of unwelcome time.