Gemotions

The new office felt wrong. Fluorescent lights hummed a discordant song, and the air conditioning blasted a frigid wind across her neck. Every shadow seemed to lengthen, taking on the shape of lurking figures. She jumped at the sound of the printer whirring to life, a sudden mechanical groan echoing through the empty space. Her new desk was pristine, devoid of the familiar clutter that had once grounded her.

They hadn't even given her a welcome packet. Just a key card and a pointed look from the department head. He'd said the transfer was "a great opportunity." She could feel his gaze on the back of her head as she sat down, the weight of it pressing down on her spine.

The phone rang, a shrill, insistent jangle. She flinched, her hand hovering hesitantly before she answered. "Hello?" Her voice sounded thin, reedy. The voice on the other end was clipped, efficient, asking about a project she had never worked on.