Gemotions

The announcement hit him like a physical blow. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to buzz with a new, unwelcome intensity. John felt the muscles in his jaw tighten, his teeth grinding against each other. The phrase “strategic alignment” – a phrase he had heard a hundred times – grated on his nerves.

He pushed back from his desk, the wheels of his chair rolling across the carpet. He reached for his jacket, pulling it on with a violent tug. The office felt like a cage. He needed to get out, to breathe. He needed to be alone.