Gemotions

The sheer volume of noise was the first thing that struck him. The sales floor was a symphony of ringing phones, boisterous laughter, and rapid-fire conversations. He stood frozen in the doorway, feeling the hum of the fluorescent lights vibrate through his bones. The structured calm he was used to was replaced by something entirely different.

He felt a strange tingling in his fingertips, a prickling sensation that intensified with each passing second. He instinctively retreated a step, then another. He struggled to remember the new faces, the names, the expectations.

He was handed a headset, the plastic cold against his ear. A voice barked a greeting. He fumbled with the controls, his hands clumsy and awkward. He took a breath, trying to steady himself, and wished he could just disappear.