Gemotions

“So, you’re… you’re the new analyst?” Mark stammered, his voice cracking slightly. He’d just been introduced to a young woman, fresh out of college, who would be, apparently, taking over his entire workload. He’d expected, at best, a small team to assist him with some of the grunt work. A wave of heat washed over him, making him feel a bit light-headed.

He glanced around the sterile white of the conference room. It felt suddenly too bright, the fluorescent lights harsh and unforgiving. He forced a smile, stretching his lips taut across his teeth. “I… uh… welcome aboard.” He gestured vaguely towards the overflowing coffee pot. He needed to sit down, to process.

His legs felt unsteady as he guided the newcomer through the intricacies of the company’s internal database. He made more errors than usual, his mind miles away. His hands felt clammy, and he kept forgetting to breathe.