Gemotions

"Just another day," Mark muttered to himself, the words barely audible. The words felt hollow, a mantra devoid of meaning. He looked around the office, at the same faces, the same routines, the same stale air. It was a prison, and he had built the walls himself.

He received the internal announcement via Slack. The subject line: "Important Announcement Regarding Potential Acquisition." He tried to dismiss it, to tell himself it was just another corporate shuffle. But the knot in his stomach tightened.

He glanced at his calendar. The days stretched before him, an endless stream of meetings and deadlines. He felt a profound sense of… immobility. He considered the possibilities: new management, restructuring, potential layoffs. The thought made him feel cold. He was the only one that truly knew the system, and that was all that mattered.

He pushed back from his desk, the wheels of his chair squealing in protest. He went outside.