Gemotions

"We've got a problem," Mark's boss announced, his tone flat. He was standing in front of Mark's desk. The light hurt Mark's eyes.

Mark dreaded the afternoon meetings. He felt a dull throb behind his eyes and the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t prepared for this.

Across the room, Emily, Mark’s coworker, shared a look with him, an unspoken message passing between them. The same project, the same deadline, and now the same crushing realization. A wave of icy dread washed over him, leaving him trembling.

He barely heard the rest of the briefing. He focused on the patterns in the carpet, trying to regulate his breathing, wishing desperately that he could disappear.