Gemotions

The temperature in the room had suddenly spiked, even though the air conditioning was blasting. John could feel the sweat beading on his forehead, a river trickling down his back. The supervisor's words, uttered casually, felt like a physical blow. "You'll be mentoring the new recruit."

He gripped the edge of the conference table, his knuckles bone-white. The comfortable routine of his job, the predictability he’d thrived on, was dissolving. He'd poured his heart and soul into this company, and this was how it ended?

His gaze flickered to the window, the city skyline looking impossibly distant. He felt detached, adrift in a sea of bewilderment. He struggled to formulate a response, the words catching in his throat.