Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the accounting office buzzed, a sound that burrowed into Eleanor's skull. They were introducing her replacement today: a fresh-faced college graduate named Ben. She’d spent the last five years hunched over spreadsheets, a monotonous routine that had become a comfort, even if it was a dull one. Eleanor cleared her throat, her mouth suddenly dry. "So, Ben, this is where you'll be logging the vendor invoices."

She gestured towards the hulking computer monitor, the beige plastic a relic from a bygone era. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She felt the familiar weight in her chest, a constant pressure that made each breath a conscious effort. This felt wrong. She'd built a life here, however small.