Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. Dr. Olsen, his mentor, would be moving to a different institution. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he'd developed over the past few years. He felt the familiar constriction in his chest, the feeling of being trapped.

He sat alone in his office, surrounded by books and papers, the tools of his trade. He picked up his pen and then set it down again, unable to focus. The research he was working on, previously so engaging, now felt like an exercise in futility.

He canceled his afternoon meetings, claiming a headache. He spent the rest of the day aimlessly wandering the campus, avoiding eye contact, feeling like he no longer belonged. The campus, once a place of hope, now felt suffocating.