Gemotions

The announcement had landed with a thud, a lead weight in Mark’s gut. He leaned back in his chair, the cheap plastic creaking in protest. The view from his window, a grey expanse of urban sprawl, suddenly seemed even more bleak than usual. He ran a hand through his thinning hair. It was all so predictable.

He took a long swallow of lukewarm coffee, the taste of it metallic against his tongue. He knew he should be concerned, worried about the future, his job. But the urgency he should have felt was absent. Instead, a peculiar detachment had washed over him. He felt… settled into a state of inertia. He had done this dance before.

He considered the tasks that lay before him, the deadlines looming, the meetings scheduled. None of it felt pressing. He opened a new tab on his computer and started browsing holiday destinations. The tropical beaches and turquoise waters felt worlds away from the sterile reality of his office. He began to plan the trip, without a flicker of guilt or second-guessing.