Gemotions

He’d always considered himself a level-headed man, David. Yet, the receipt clutched in his trembling hand felt like a lead weight. The expense report, neatly printed, detailed a training seminar. He’d never heard of this seminar. He’d certainly never been invited. The amount, however, was clearly listed. And… it was more than his raise this year.

He found himself constantly “accidentally” bumping into Mark, the new analyst, in the break room. The young man, always impeccably dressed, responded to David's greeting with a cheerful, if somewhat distant, "Morning, David." The casualness of it grated on his nerves.

He started scrutinizing Mark's work, finding a misplaced comma, a minor formatting error. Each tiny flaw served to fuel a growing unease. He felt a phantom pain in his jaw, a muscle twitching with every passing hour.