Gemotions

James stared at the email, his vision blurring. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his head, but it was no use. The words seemed to swim on the screen. He felt a strange disconnect from his body, as if he were observing himself from a distance.

He kept running the same thoughts on a loop. What if he failed? What would he do? He pictured the humiliation, the disappointment. He couldn't deal with it.

He slammed his fist on the desk, startling himself. His hand throbbed with pain, but he barely noticed. He stood up, then sat back down again, his legs shaky. He grabbed his water bottle and took a long gulp, but his throat was still dry.