Gemotions

The morning sun streamed through the blinds, painting stripes across the worn carpet. Mark sat at his desk, staring out the window. The new guy, Daniel, was chattering away about company policy, all bright-eyed and eager. Mark simply nodded, acknowledging the words but not really processing them. His stomach felt hollow, like he’d forgotten to eat.

He tapped a pen rhythmically against the desk, the sound a counterpoint to Daniel's enthusiasm. The training session was a formality, a required step before Mark's departure. He was going to spend the final two weeks showing Daniel the ropes. It was all a bit pointless, he thought, a waste of time.

"So, what's your favorite part of the job?" Daniel asked. Mark shrugged. "The end of the day," he replied, the words barely audible. He looked at his watch, counting down the minutes. He needed to be done with this. The day stretched before him, a long, empty road.