Gemotions

Rain hammered against the window, blurring the city outside into a watercolor mess. Amelia stared at her reflection in the glass, the lines etched around her eyes more prominent than she remembered. She felt… heavy, like she was wading through molasses. The air in her cubicle was thick, stale. She’d been staring at the same report for hours, the words swimming before her.

Then she heard the animated laughter erupt from the break room. A new hire, fresh out of college, was regaling everyone with a story. Amelia knew, somehow, what was coming. And she was right. Later, over lukewarm instant coffee, she accidentally saw the new hire's pay stub. A hollow feeling spread through her chest. It was more than she made, after five years.