Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum a mocking tune. Sarah watched the new hire, Jessica, carefully. Jessica, bright-eyed and eager, absorbed everything Sarah was showing her, asking a million questions. A bitter taste coated Sarah’s tongue as she demonstrated how to navigate the archaic database she had painstakingly mastered over five long years. Her smile felt stiff, a paper mask pasted on her face. Each click of the mouse, each shared shortcut, felt like another brick in the wall being built around her.

She found herself fidgeting with the pen in her hand, clicking it compulsively. The rhythmic sound was almost a comfort, a counterpoint to the quiet devastation building inside. When Jessica offered a suggestion to improve the process, a sharp retort almost escaped her lips. Instead, she swallowed hard, forcing herself to nod and say, "That's… a thought."

Her shoulders slumped as she returned to her desk, the empty space now echoing with a sudden, profound emptiness. The mug of coffee she’d left behind sat cold, a forgotten casualty on her desk.