Gemotions

The sterile white walls of the research lab seemed to close in on him. Michael, who had spent years perfectly cataloging data in archives, had been ‘invited’ to join the experimental team. The excitement he’d initially felt had evaporated, replaced by a deep-seated unease. He felt as though he’d been thrown into the deep end.

He stood near a complicated machine humming with power and his shoulders started to ache. He was afraid to touch anything. He felt his pulse quicken. The scientists discussed their project with passion and intensity, their words a blur of jargon and ambition. He, on the other hand, felt the panic rise.

He longed for the calm of his old job, the comforting predictability of the archives. He wished he could teleport back to the quiet rows of books and the scent of aged paper.