Gemotions

He’d taken a bite of his sandwich, then almost choked. The lettuce felt like sandpaper. Mark tossed the rest of it in the bin. Across the office, the new intern, David, was laughing with the boss. David, fresh out of college, David who knew next to nothing, was being mentored by Mark. And David, Mark had discovered, was making more.

His knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of his desk. He could feel the pulse in his temple, a thrumming beat that matched the obnoxious ringtone of David's phone. He hadn't slept well last night. And he knew, with a certainty that burned like acid, that he wouldn't sleep well tonight.

The air conditioning seemed to be blowing directly onto him, making him feel cold and restless.