Gemotions

The spreadsheet, a stark white rectangle on his screen, seemed to mock him. He stared at the numbers, his jaw clenched so tightly he felt a muscle spasm. Sarah, fresh out of college, was making more than he was, after five years of loyal service. He ran a hand through his thinning hair, a gesture he’d been making more and more lately.

He closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. The faint scent of stale coffee and desperation clung to the air in his cubicle. The fluorescent lights hummed, a relentless soundtrack to his mounting unease. He thought of the mortgage, the car payments, the college fund he was trying to build for his daughter.

He pushed his chair back, the wheels squeaking on the linoleum. He needed air. He walked towards the window, staring out at the city below, the bustling streets suddenly feeling a world away. The vibrant energy felt so very far from the way he was currently feeling.