Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of her office seemed to amplify the internal ache. The speech for her father's retirement loomed, an unwelcome obligation. She felt so utterly drained, so lacking in the enthusiasm everyone expected.

She'd lost interest in her hobbies, in everything. Even the thought of food made her nauseous. Days bled into one another, a monotonous cycle of work and sleep.

She arrived at the banquet hall feeling like an intruder. She sat through the speeches, her mind wandering, her attention drifting. When she stood to speak, the words felt foreign in her mouth. She rushed through it, eager to be done, to escape the noise and the forced cheer.