Gemotions

The office buzzed with hushed congratulations, a symphony of forced smiles and insincere well-wishing. Emily retreated to the deserted supply closet, the stale air thick with the smell of paper and toner. She needed to be alone.

She felt a hollowness, a profound emptiness that seemed to settle in her bones. She leaned against the metal shelving, the cold surface a slight comfort.

The words "congratulations, Mark" echoed repeatedly in her head, the phrase a constant loop. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the energy just wasn’t there. A single tear traced a path down her cheek, and she didn’t even bother to wipe it away.