Gemotions

"Excuse me," Emily said, her voice sounding far away to her own ears. She pushed away from her desk, the chair skidding slightly on the polished floor. The sight of Ben's salary, printed in black and white, swam before her eyes. He was making more than her, the woman who had trained him.

She stumbled towards the break room, needing something, anything, to ground her. She found herself staring blankly at the coffee machine. The aroma, usually comforting, was nauseating. Her head throbbed.

She replayed the last few months, every bit of overtime, every extra project she’d tackled. She felt a tremor run through her body. The thought of confronting her boss filled her with dread. The injustice of it all, the blatant disregard for her experience, was almost unbearable. She felt a sudden, sharp pain in her chest.