Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the break room hummed, a jarring counterpoint to the silence that had fallen over the office. Sarah stared at the email, the words blurring despite her efforts to focus. *Acquired by StellarTech*. Her coffee sat untouched, the lukewarm liquid now looking utterly unappealing. She vaguely remembered making it, five minutes ago, before the world seemed to shift.

Her hands felt clammy, and she ran them across her jeans, trying to dry them. The scent of stale donuts, usually comforting, now turned her stomach. She pictured Mr. Henderson, the CEO, his usual booming laughter suddenly echoing as a forced performance. He hadn’t mentioned anything during their last performance review.

She needed air. Without thinking, she pushed open the fire escape door and stepped onto the metal landing, the city’s distant rumble a vague, disconnected noise. The wind whipped her hair across her face, but she barely registered it. This couldn’t be right.