Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom hummed, a sound that usually blended into the background, but today it was a grating buzz. Sarah stared at the half-eaten bagel on the table, the cream cheese congealing. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this… adrift. The email, with its terse subject line, had hit her like a physical blow. “Company Acquisition.” Her stomach churned. She picked at the bagel, then pushed it away. The room seemed to tilt, just a little.

She fumbled with her phone, scrolling through the news feed. Nothing. Just the usual distractions. She needed to ground herself, to get back on track. She should be reviewing the marketing proposals, but the words swam before her eyes.

She wandered back to her desk, the click-clack of her heels echoing in the suddenly silent office. Her fingers trembled as she clicked open her emails. The usual avalanche of deadlines and requests seemed alien, meaningless. A wave of exhaustion washed over her.