Gemotions

Sarah ripped off her headset, throwing it onto the desk with a force that rattled the plastic water bottle perched precariously on the edge. The day, already a monument to monotony, had just gotten a whole lot worse. The cryptic email, the hushed whispers in the break room – she knew what it meant. Again.

She felt a tremor run through her hands as she clicked on her email again, re-reading the message from the CEO. Her jaw clenched. This was her fourth company in five years. She'd sunk her teeth into this one. Actually enjoyed it. Now what? She pushed back from her desk, the creak of the chair a small, sharp sound in the otherwise quiet office.

The fluorescent lights were doing that irritating flicker thing again, and she had to turn away before they made her lose it. She had a mortgage to pay, a dog to feed, and a looming feeling of utter helplessness. She glanced at the clock; three hours until the announcement. Three hours to prepare for another round of resume updates and futile hope. She closed her eyes.