Gemotions

The coffee cup trembled in Maria’s hand, sloshing dark liquid onto the desk. She had just seen the printout, a carelessly discarded document revealing the salary of her new assistant, Ben. He was making significantly more. Her throat felt tight, constricted. She couldn’t seem to swallow.

She excused herself from the meeting, citing a headache. In the hallway, she leaned against the cool wall, trying to steady her breathing. The building seemed to sway slightly. She felt as if the world was pressing in on her.

She retreated to her cubicle, the walls closing in. The cheerful posters felt mocking. She stared at the computer screen, the words blurring before her eyes. The constant chatter of the office was suddenly deafening. Her palms began to sweat. She thought of the sacrifices she had made to get to where she was.