Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down David's temple, despite the cool air conditioning. His teeth ground together, and he kept cracking his knuckles; a nervous tic that had become constant lately. His presentation was tomorrow. His boss, Mr. Henderson, would be expecting nothing short of perfection. He glanced at the email notification – a link to a competitor's final report.

He clicked on it, his heart hammering against his ribs. The graphs, the charts, the very structure of the argument…it was a mirror image of his own work. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

“Unbelievable!” he muttered under his breath, his voice tight. A sense of bewilderment and then, an overwhelming sense of frustration filled him. This couldn't be a coincidence. He stood up, pacing the cramped confines of his cubicle, the pressure in his head building with each step.