Gemotions

The numbers swam before her eyes. Maria, who had spent the last five years perfecting her craft, building her portfolio, earning her stripes, couldn't believe it. This new guy, with almost zero experience, was starting higher than she was?

Her fingers trembled as she clicked the "Close" button on the spreadsheet. The air in her cubicle suddenly felt thick and heavy. A pressure built behind her eyes, the beginning of a headache.

She rubbed her temples, trying to dispel the fog that had descended. She felt a strange buzzing in her ears. Her usual quick wit seemed to have deserted her; all she could manage was a vague sense of disquiet.