Gemotions

The floor seemed to tilt beneath her feet. The other team’s announcement, a mirror image of hers, played on the large screen. She felt a strange tingling sensation, starting in her toes and moving upwards. Her mouth went dry.

Her carefully crafted strategy felt hollow, exposed. Her ideas, her hard work, all for nothing. She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles white. The smiles around her faded. The laughter died.

She looked to her superior, seeking some kind of guidance, a lifeline. His expression was as blank as her own. The room was silent.