Gemotions

The email arrived like a cold hand on Elias's shoulder. "Important Announcement Regarding Company Future." His breath hitched as he stared at the words. The fluorescent lights of his cubicle seemed to buzz louder, the hum grating on his nerves. He felt a tremor in his fingertips as he clicked the message open, his vision blurring slightly.

His throat constricted as he read the first sentence: "We are pleased to announce..." He almost gagged. The room tilted. He hadn't been pleased about anything in a long time. The details blurred, but the gist was clear: a sale, a potential restructuring, a future he couldn't control.

Elias ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. He couldn't help but picture the mortgage payments, the looming student loans, his wife's hopeful smile. His stomach churned. He closed the laptop, a decision made in panic, and the sudden darkness of the screen only deepened the sensation of the world closing in on him.