Gemotions

The announcement played on a loop in Maya’s mind, the words echoing behind her eyelids: “The promotion will be awarded….” Her fingers tightened on her pen, but she didn’t write a single word. She’d been staring at the same page of her notebook for an hour.

Her head throbbed, a dull ache that seemed to emanate from the base of her skull. She swiveled in her chair, the motion slow and deliberate. The weight of the world pressed down on her, the pressure crushing her will. She wanted to sink into the comfortable darkness.

The air around her desk seemed to thicken. She wanted to rest her head on the desk. She needed to take a break. Instead, she lifted her head, and took a deep breath. She’d stay awake for just a little longer.