Gemotions

"Everything alright, Mark?" His new supervisor's voice was too cheerful, too smooth. He forced a smile, but the edges felt brittle, ready to crack. The transfer had been abrupt, unexpected, and it had left him feeling off-balance.

He spent the morning rearranging his pens, lining them up perfectly. A slight tremor ran through his hands. Each email was a potential trap, each phone call a probe. He'd been so sure he was doing well.

He started locking his computer when he left to go to the bathroom. He looked around the empty office before opening his email and double-checked the windows before looking at the documents. Every casual remark felt like an accusation, every gesture a calculated move.