Gemotions

“Surprise!” she had pictured the jubilant shouts of her colleagues as she turned the corner. Instead, she found the conference room dark, and the door locked. A cold wave washed over her, and she felt a distinct pressure in her chest.

She checked her phone, finding a single text from her boss: *Meeting postponed. More details to follow.* He was a man of very few words. The carefully crafted speeches she'd planned, the anticipated congratulations – all evaporated in an instant.

She stood there, utterly alone. She felt the blood drain from her face. It was as if someone had pulled the plug on everything. The excitement she had been carrying all day was abruptly replaced with an icy emptiness.