Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the accounting department flickered, casting a familiar, buzzing glow across the rows of desks. Sarah ran her hand across the smooth, cool surface of her old workstation, a final caress. She remembered the sticky notes, the coffee rings, the camaraderie that had bloomed here. A smile tugged at her lips, a bittersweet ache behind her eyes.

"Ready to go?" Mark, her new supervisor, leaned in the doorway, his face expectant. His tone was upbeat, professional. Not quite the same as the easy banter she was used to.

She nodded, gathering her things. Her stomach felt hollow. One last look. The posters she'd helped put up, the little plant she'd nurtured back to life. It felt like leaving a home.