Gemotions

The spreadsheet shimmered in the fluorescent office light, a grid of meaningless numbers. Sarah drummed her fingers against the desk, the rhythm mirroring the hum of the air conditioning. Another Tuesday. Another endless procession of data entry, the same tasks she'd been doing for five years. She felt a dull ache behind her eyes, the kind that came with staring too long at screens.

She overheard a hushed conversation at the water cooler. A new hire, fresh out of college, was boasting about their starting salary. Sarah couldn't help but overhear the numbers, and a tightness settled in her chest. Hers was significantly lower.

Later, she found herself staring out the window, watching the city traffic crawl. The thought of all the things she *could* be doing, all the ways she could be using her time, buzzed in her head. The spreadsheet mocked her again, its cold logic a stark contrast to the restlessness that had taken root within.