Gemotions

The news had arrived in the form of casual office chatter. "Did you hear what Ben’s getting paid now?" The words had hung in the air, a phantom weight on David's shoulders. David went back to his tiny cubicle and stared at the framed photo of his family. He’d promised them more, promised them a better life. Now, he felt the familiar weight of failure settling upon him, a leaden cloak he couldn't shrug off. He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling tiles, each one looking the same as the next, the same as the last.