Gemotions

He stared at the spreadsheet, numbers blurring before his eyes. The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the stillness in his chest. His fingers tapped a restless rhythm on the polished mahogany of his desk. He glanced around at the other cubicles, all occupied, yet he felt profoundly alone. His mentor, Mr. Henderson, a man whose presence usually filled the room with stories and advice, had vanished. Poof. He’d learned of the retirement through the company-wide email, a cold notification in a sea of work-related messages. He pushed away from the desk, stood up, and wandered aimlessly towards the breakroom.