Gemotions

The email's subject line screamed the news, and it felt like a punch to the gut. The words blurred on the screen. Sarah’s palms were suddenly slick with sweat. Her breathing hitched, shallow and rapid. Another buyer. Another round of redundancies. She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the life she had built here, the colleagues she considered friends.

Her fingers tightened around her phone. She felt the urge to throw it against the wall, to shatter something. The room, usually bright and cheerful, suddenly felt oppressive, the air heavy with unspoken fears. She needed to escape.