Gemotions

The office felt suffocating, the air thick with the unspoken anxieties of the impending deadline. Michael, staring out the window, felt a similar pressure building inside him. The world was a dull gray. A delivery arrived: a lush arrangement of orchids. No card.

He'd been drifting, disconnected from the camaraderie of his colleagues. The flowers felt like an intrusion, a splash of unwanted attention. He didn't want the distraction. He didn't want the cheer. He just wanted to be left alone.

He poked the delicate petals with a finger. The orchids seemed to stare back at him, their silent elegance a sharp contrast to the inner turmoil he tried to keep hidden. He turned away, the bright colors assaulting his eyes.