Gemotions

The box felt heavier than it should, each file a weight on her shoulders as she carried it down the hall. Her steps dragged, echoing in the mostly empty corridor. The fluorescent lights hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to mirror the emptiness she felt inside. She glanced back at the familiar doorway of the Marketing department, a place she’d known for five years, and the tightness in her chest intensified.

She’d spent the morning clearing her desk, a task that, she’d thought, would be liberating. Instead, it was an exercise in dredging up memories. Every stapler, every pen, every knick-knack held a story, a connection to the people she’d grown accustomed to seeing every day. Now, they were just objects.

The elevator doors opened onto the cold, impersonal world of the accounting department. She took a deep breath, the metallic scent of the air conditioning making her stomach clench. This new beginning felt less like opportunity and more like exile.