Gemotions

The screen seemed to pulsate with an angry light. Jessica sat frozen, unable to move, unable to breathe. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm against the backdrop of the quiet office. She felt a deep disquiet, a prickling sensation that ran down her spine.

She reread the email, each word a blow. Sold. The simple word, a death knell for her professional life, her financial stability. She felt a wave of dizziness, as though the floor beneath her was shifting. She gripped the edge of the desk, her knuckles white.

She felt a desperate need to scream, to shatter the silence, to somehow make the news untrue. She swallowed hard, trying to regain control. She knew she had to leave, to get away, to escape the suffocating weight of this reality. She rose to her feet, her legs trembling, and stumbled towards the door.