Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a relentless reminder of the tasks ahead. Sarah avoided eye contact with the young woman, Emily, who sat across from her. Emily, bright-eyed and eager, scribbled notes with a mechanical pencil that seemed to whirr with efficiency. Sarah’s stomach churned, a knot of unease twisting in her gut.

She fiddled with the stapler on her desk, adjusting it pointlessly. Her voice was flat, hollow, as she explained the intricacies of the company’s archaic filing system. Each instruction felt like a betrayal, a confirmation that her days were numbered.

A flush crept up her neck, making her skin prickle. She’d spent years mastering these procedures, building a life around them. Now, it was all being handed over, piece by piece, to someone younger, sharper, and seemingly without the burden of her own past.