Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. A company-wide announcement about salary adjustments. Daniel scanned the message, his heart quickening as he looked for his name. He didn't see it. He scrolled back up, then down, his vision blurring. A junior developer, fresh out of coding school, received a substantial raise. Daniel, senior, was left out.

His jaw tightened. He found himself staring at his computer screen, feeling his face flush. He was aware of the other employees in the open-plan office, and their potential observation of his discomfort. He stood up abruptly and walked to the breakroom, pouring himself a cup of coffee, the bitter taste doing nothing to soothe the sudden dryness in his mouth.

He spent the rest of the afternoon staring out the window, the cityscape a blurry, indistinct canvas mirroring the confusion and doubt now swirling inside him.