Gemotions

The new office was stuffy, the air thick with the scent of stale paper and unfulfilled potential. David hated it. He hated the forced politeness, the slow pace, the endless meetings that went nowhere. His old department, the development team, was a battlefield of ideas. This was a mausoleum of mediocrity.

He was supposed to be learning "new skills," but he felt like he was suffocating. Every day felt the same, a monotonous repetition of tasks that held no interest. He walked down the corridor and passed the old department. He saw a project on the whiteboard. He felt a pang in his chest.

The break room coffee was dreadful. He slammed his mug onto the counter, spilling some. The woman beside him offered a sympathetic look. He glared at her. "Don't bother," he muttered, turning to escape.