Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the office seemed to pulse, each blink a tiny, irritating jolt. Sarah reread the email, the words – “Acquisition Pending” – swimming before her eyes. She felt a sudden, heavy pressure in her chest, as if a lead weight had settled there. Her fingers tightened around the worn handle of her coffee mug, knuckles white.

She slammed the mug down on her desk, the ceramic clinking sharply against the wood. The sound echoed in the sudden, unnerving quiet of the office. People were whispering, hunched over their screens. A cold dread crept up her spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake. This was all wrong.

Sarah picked up her phone, dialing her best friend's number. Her hand trembled, making the numbers blur. When her friend answered, Sarah found herself unable to speak at first, just a choked gasp escaping her lips. "They're selling," she finally managed, the words thin and reedy.