Gemotions

The air conditioning hummed, a low, monotonous drone that seemed to mirror the rhythm of Alice's breathing. Each breath felt like an enormous effort. Her head throbbed.

She knew. She’d known for a week. Michael, the recent transfer from another department, had confessed it during a drunken lunch. He was making significantly more than her, the person who had trained him.

The tasks on her to-do list seemed insurmountable. She felt the sudden urge to just shut everything down, to escape the relentless pressure. She stared at the ceiling, at the blank, white tiles, and felt a deep, overwhelming fatigue.