Gemotions

"Mr. Peterson, are you alright?" The lawyer's voice, usually crisp and professional, felt distant to him. Thomas just blinked, trying to focus. His legs felt like lead. He’d spent months perfecting his automated book-sorting machine, a project that promised to revolutionize libraries. A competing patent had surfaced, a nearly identical design. He didn’t know how he could have missed it.

He rubbed at his eyes, the pressure adding to the ache behind them. His head lolled for a moment. The plush office chair felt as soft as a cloud. The news had drained all the fight from him.

He muttered something in reply, but the words felt thick and clumsy on his tongue. He knew he needed to fight, to appeal. Right now, though, the world felt too heavy to bear.