Gemotions

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee did nothing to soothe Thomas' frayed nerves. He watched, from across the table, as Maya, his coworker, presented their joint project to the board. He'd been away on sick leave for weeks; upon his return, he found the presentation ready to go. Now, the slides flashed across the screen, each one a perfect mimicry of his own work.

His head swam. He picked at a stray piece of lint on his jacket. He felt a throbbing sensation in his temples. He wanted to shout, to object, to stop it all, but fear bound his tongue.

Afterwards, Maya smiled at him. "How was your time off, Thomas?" she asked, her voice light and friendly. He could only manage a weak nod, his eyes locked on the floor.