Gemotions

The library felt colder than usual, the air conditioning blasting. Maria hunched over her desk, trying to make some progress, but the words swam before her eyes. Dr. Rodriguez, her mentor, was leaving. The news was a hammer blow. The deadline loomed, an oppressive presence.

Her fingers trembled as she clicked through the new email. Her research felt like quicksand, pulling her under. The thought of explaining her research all over again, of building a new rapport, made her want to simply lie down and sleep for a week. She pushed back her chair and gazed out the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. Her resolve felt shattered.