Gemotions

Michael felt his throat constrict. The announcement felt like the floor was falling beneath his feet. The familiar office now felt alien, the friendly faces of his colleagues somehow distant. He’d never been one for taking risks. He was comfortable with consistency.

He thought of his mortgage, his bills, his small car. It all seemed to be held together by one single thread; this job. Now, that thread was about to break, leaving him adrift. The prospect of starting over, of selling himself to someone else, was a bitter pill to swallow.

He sank back in his chair, feeling small and insignificant, a leaf caught in a hurricane. He felt his face flush hot, then cold, then hot again.