Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a sound that usually faded into the background. Today, it grated on Arthur’s nerves. He slammed his stapler down, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet cubicle farm. He knew, he just *knew*, that Sarah, the new hire, was making more. He’d seen the way she casually ordered takeout, the way she talked about her new apartment. It had taken him five years to get a place this size, and he earned a pittance compared to her. He’d cornered Brenda from HR, but all she offered was vague platitudes and a refusal to divulge salary information.

Arthur stared at his computer screen, the unfinished report mocking him. He wasn't going to finish it. He leaned back in his chair, the squeak of the springs a tiny rebellion. He’d put in the time, the effort. He knew the company's ins and outs. Sarah’s fresh-faced enthusiasm, her overly eager grin – it all felt like a personal insult. He was going to take the rest of the day off, he decided. He wasn't going to call in sick. He'd just... disappear.