Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to vibrate directly in Elias's skull. He leaned heavily against the cold metal edge of the copy machine, his eyes struggling to focus on the training manual. It was a struggle to keep them open. His replacement, a bright-eyed young woman named Sarah, was peppering him with questions about the company’s convoluted filing system. He rubbed at his temples, the pressure a dull ache behind his eyes.

"And then the triplicate form goes… where, again?" Sarah asked, her voice a little too cheerful for this early hour. Elias just wanted to crawl back into bed.

He gestured vaguely toward a shelf overflowing with manila folders. "Archive… under 'miscellaneous'." He hoped his slurred words were understandable. The coffee he'd chugged this morning felt like a watery betrayal. The air in the room felt thick and heavy, each breath an effort.