Gemotions

The office was unusually quiet. The sound of typing, the hum of the air conditioning, usually a comfort, had instead become a source of irritation. I watched as Clara, the new hire, studied the project plans. Each mark on the paper, each highlighted section, felt like a judgment. I had brought her here.

I felt a sting of regret, a sharp pang in my chest. The new job, the promotion – it had all come at a price, one I was now paying in the form of my own discomfort. The price had come with a debt, one that only kept accumulating.

Later, the empty house echoed with the silence of my thoughts. I made a cup of tea, the steam a warm reminder of a comfort I no longer felt. I just sat, alone, in the darkness.