Gemotions

The announcement blared through the office speakers as she was about to present her innovative project proposal. A sudden transfer to the filing department. She felt the blood drain from her face. Her meticulously crafted presentation suddenly felt like a useless artifact.

She stood frozen in place, the laughter of her colleagues dying down as they realized her face was ashen. Then, she quickly turned and hurried out of the conference room, ignoring the calls of her team members.

Later, she sat alone in the bathroom stall, tears blurring her vision. The paper towel she was clutching was quickly becoming useless. The shame was a palpable weight in her chest.