Gemotions

The silence of the empty building felt deafening. Kevin walked through the office, a ghost in his own work. He had seen the subtle signs, the quiet departures, the veiled warnings. He had dismissed them, too afraid of rocking the boat, of jeopardizing his comfortable existence. Now, the boat had sunk, and he was left adrift.

He ran his fingers along the dusty surface of his desk, the touch sending a chill through him. The weight of inaction bore down.

He thought of the younger employees, the ones he'd mentored, the ones he'd encouraged. He had failed them. He had failed himself.

He stopped, his heart heavy.