Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. He stumbled back from his monitor, nearly knocking over his water bottle. His heart hammered against his ribs. The world seemed to shrink and the air grew thick. He felt a cold sweat prickle his skin.

He stared at the announcement, the carefully worded corporate jargon grating on his nerves. "Investment… future growth… new leadership." He'd been with the company for fifteen years! Fifteen years of hard work, loyalty, and now... this. The color seemed to drain from his face.

His mind raced, a chaotic jumble of anxieties and uncertainties. His mortgage, his kids' college fund, the upcoming family vacation – all now hung precariously in the balance. He wanted to shout, to break something, to somehow rewind time to before he had read that damnable email.