Gemotions

The moment the email arrived, Susan's world seemed to tilt. *Merger Announced*. The words jumped out at her, refusing to coalesce into any meaningful picture. It was as if she'd been struck by a sudden blow. Her breath caught in her throat.

She abruptly stood up, pushing her chair back with a scraping sound that echoed in the sudden quiet of her cubicle. She felt the urge to pace, to move, to do anything to quell the disquiet that had seized her. This didn't make any sense.

She found herself wandering the office, watching her colleagues, observing their reactions. She felt a strange detachment, as if she were an observer in a play she didn't understand. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse.