Gemotions

The office building loomed, a concrete monolith in the gray dawn. Michael took a deep breath, or at least he tried to. He felt as if a heavy weight was compressing his lungs. His replacement, a fellow named David, was already waiting at the front desk, looking impossibly relaxed. "Morning!" David chirped. Michael could only manage a strangled grunt in response.

He led David through the labyrinthine corridors, each turn a step closer to oblivion. His hands shook so violently that he had to grip the railing as they ascended the stairs. The elevator seemed impossibly slow, the ticking of the gears amplifying his mounting panic. He pointed at things, mumbled explanations, but his thoughts were a frantic scramble. The coffee machine became a mountain to scale, the simple act of showing how it worked a torturous ordeal.