Gemotions

He watched the new hire, a fresh-faced kid named Ben, from the corner of his eye. It was hard to believe he was being replaced. David was practically part of the furniture at this company. He'd poured years into this role.

A knot tightened in his stomach as Ben effortlessly maneuvered the equipment. David remembered the hours he’d spent, alone in the lab, wrestling with the same machinery. Now, he was reduced to a trainer.

He forced a smile as he pointed at the gauge. “Make sure you calibrate that before each experiment.” His tone was clipped, the words feeling brittle on his tongue.

The air felt thick in the lab, stifling. Each successful adjustment by Ben was like a tiny jab, a reminder of David’s impending redundancy. The scent of chemicals, usually comforting, now seemed to mock him.