Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the silence. Amelia stared at the vending machine, the colorful rows of snacks blurred behind a sudden film in her eyes. The email, with its cold, clinical language, lay crumpled in her hand. “Acquired.” That’s all it said. Years, a decade even, spent building relationships, mastering the software, becoming… part of this. And now? Gone. She felt a tremor run through her, starting in her jaw and spreading downwards. She wasn’t hungry anymore.

She'd always loved the way the late afternoon sun hit the corner office, painting the dust motes in gold. Mrs. Gable, the CEO, always kept a small succulent on her desk, meticulously watered. Now, though, the sun felt cold on her face as she looked out the window. She wondered who would be sitting in that corner office next.

The clatter of the coffee pot breaking the silence jolted her back. She took a deep breath, the stale air catching in her throat. She needed to get back to her desk. But how could she even begin to focus? The future stretched before her, an expanse of uncertainty she hadn't anticipated.