Gemotions

She gripped the edges of the conference table so hard her knuckles were white. Sarah felt the blood drain from her face as she looked at the woman who would be taking over her job. Her replacement, Emily, was so enthusiastic, so eager to learn, and the feeling that something was being taken away from her was almost unbearable.

"Right," Sarah said, her voice barely a whisper. "The first thing you need to understand is the… the budget spreadsheets." She opened the document, but the numbers blurred before her eyes, an indecipherable jumble of figures. She felt a cold dread creep up her spine as she imagined her own role, her own contributions, being erased.

Emily was smiling, nodding, and taking notes. It was a pleasant spring day outside the window, the sun spilling into the room as if to announce a celebration, but inside, Sarah felt a dark, heavy weight on her chest.