Gemotions

The email shimmered on her screen, the words blurring despite her best efforts to focus. Transfer to the Marketing Department. Effective immediately. A coldness settled in her stomach, a leaden weight pulling her downwards. She reread the sentence, each letter now a tiny, mocking face. Her fingers felt numb as she reached for her phone, dialing her best friend's number. “Did you… did you see the email?” she stammered into the receiver, her voice thin and reedy.

She pushed her chair back from her desk, the squeak of the wheels echoing in the suddenly too-quiet office. Her meticulously organized desk, her sanctuary, now felt like an alien landscape. She ran a hand through her hair, the movement jerky and uncontrolled. The scent of coffee, usually a comfort, now felt cloying, suffocating. She couldn't believe this was happening.