Gemotions

The salary figures, leaked by a careless IT staffer, were circulating the office like a contagion. Maria, usually unflappable, felt her composure crack. The figures swam before her eyes. It was like seeing a hallucination.

She excused herself and walked outside, the crisp autumn air offering little solace. The familiar cityscape seemed to mock her.

She found herself sitting on a park bench, the leaves swirling around her feet. The injustice of it all weighed heavily on her. A knot formed in her stomach, a bitter, acidic feeling. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her equilibrium, but the feeling lingered.