Gemotions

He stared at the email, the words blurring before his eyes: *Resigned. Effective immediately.* Ethan felt a surge of heat rush through him. Dr. Ramirez, his advisor, his mentor – gone. Without even a brief farewell. He was completely caught off guard. He took a few deep breaths, but they did little to calm the tightness in his chest.

The lab, usually bustling with activity, felt cold and empty. The silence was deafening. He had so many questions, so many projects he was working on, all under Ramirez's supervision. Now, he was alone. His hands trembled slightly.

He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture doing little to soothe his mounting distress. The thought of the upcoming presentations, the research grants, all suddenly felt overwhelming, as though he were standing on the edge of a precipice. The ground under his feet felt unstable.