Gemotions

He’d almost tripped over the water cooler. John bumped into it as he passed, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise quiet corridor. He hadn't been paying attention. He couldn't seem to focus.

The information, delivered so casually by a colleague, was a punch to the gut. The new guy, fresh from university, earned more than him. He, who had a family to support, who had worked his way up the ranks through hard work and consistent performance.

He wandered back to his desk, the fluorescent lights seeming to pulse in time with his racing heartbeat. The familiar routine, the comfortable cadence of his workday, now felt entirely foreign. He felt like a stranger in his own office.