Gemotions

The elevator ride felt interminably long. Emily gripped the handrail, her knuckles white. The news had dropped moments before, an official announcement about the buyout. Disappointment, a heavy stone, settled in her gut.

She stepped out into the lobby, the noise of the chatter grating on her nerves. People were gathered in small groups, whispering and gesticulating. The forced cheerfulness of the HR representative felt like an insult.

She pushed past them, her stride determined. She had to get out, had to breathe. She needed to feel the sun on her face, to find some perspective. It all just felt so…wrong.