Gemotions

Her breath hitched in her throat. Karen, a long-time administrative assistant, saw the document. The new junior employee was earning a higher salary. The world around her seemed to become distorted, the familiar colors appearing unnaturally bright. She felt a strange buzzing behind her ears.

She felt a sudden urge to stand, to move, to do something. The chair beneath her felt suddenly too small, too confining. She pushed herself away from her desk, pacing back and forth, unable to settle.

Her hands fidgeted, picking at the loose threads on her skirt. She thought of the new hire, their fresh face. The injustice burned within her, a simmering heat that threatened to consume her.