Gemotions

The hum of the printer was deafening, the steady rhythm a perfect soundtrack for her thoughts. Robert leaned back in his chair, the leather cool against his back. The promotion loomed, a tantalizing prospect. But the effort required felt like a vast ocean to be crossed.

He stared at the blank page in front of him, the cursor pulsating like a heartbeat. The words wouldn’t come. He reread his notes, but the ideas seemed to scatter and dissipate.

He felt a sudden urge to just shut down. He swiveled in his chair, gazing out the window, at the world moving on without him. He wanted to blend in with the leaves, to feel nothing.