Gemotions

“Another coffee, please,” Leo said, his voice flat, devoid of any inflection. He avoided eye contact with the barista, focusing instead on the steam curling upwards from the espresso machine. The aroma of roasted beans usually soothed him. Today, it was just another irritant.

He sat by the window, watching the city swirl. He was supposed to be happy. He had a good job, a nice apartment, a comfortable life. But the information, casually dropped by the office gossip, had cast a long shadow over everything. The new hire, straight out of school, was earning more than him. More.

He took a long sip of the bitter brew, the heat doing little to soothe the icy chill that had settled in his bones. He knew he should be doing something, anything, but the energy to act felt drained. He wanted to vanish.