Gemotions

The office air grew thick with a palpable tension. I went to the water cooler, but I couldn't remember why. I filled the cup, then emptied it, the water splashing uselessly on the floor. I felt like I was moving through molasses.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the silence. It wasn't the kind of excitement you feel before a big presentation. It was something else altogether: a cold dread that crept into my bones.

I walked back to my desk and sat, pulling my chair closer to the keyboard. I tried to focus, to pretend that everything was normal, but every keystroke felt like a betrayal of the anxiety that was bubbling inside me.