Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum a discordant tune, amplifying the tension coiled in Amelia's stomach. Her jaw ached, clenched tight. She glanced at the clock: 9:03 AM. Three minutes since her new "shadow" had arrived. Three minutes of forced cheerfulness.

"So, as I mentioned, the client reports are generated weekly," Amelia began, her voice tight. She gestured towards the computer screen. The cursor blinked mockingly. She felt a familiar prickle of heat behind her eyes. This was it. The culmination of months of overwork, of missed deadlines and relentless pressure. She was being replaced, and she had to be the one to teach it.

The replacement, a fresh-faced grad, nodded eagerly, jotting notes with manic energy. Amelia pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit she'd developed over the past few weeks. She felt a tremor in her hands as she clicked on the file.