Gemotions

Sarah pushed her chair back from the desk, a faint creak the only sound in the mostly empty marketing department. The air felt heavy, thick with the scent of stale coffee and unfulfilled potential. She stretched, a slow, deliberate process, each joint protesting the movement. The creative team's projects always seemed to take ages to get off the ground.

She rubbed her temples, a dull ache throbbing behind her eyes. It was a chore to even think of the ideas she needed to come up with for the new branding campaign. She'd rather sit and stare at the wall.

"Ready to brainstorm?" asked her new team lead, a bubbly woman named Chloe. Sarah forced a smile. "Absolutely," she said, her voice flat. Brainstorming felt like climbing a mountain.