Gemotions

The office felt like a battleground. He felt a pervasive, unsettling unease that ran through him like a physical sensation. He avoided eye contact, his gaze darting around the room, always searching for an escape route. The sound of the new employee’s clicking keyboard, a rhythmic metronome, was a constant reminder of the ticking clock.

He started arriving late and leaving early, minimizing his exposure to the situation. He ate lunch alone in the break room, trying to keep out of sight, and he spent his breaks outside, trying to gather his thoughts, staring blankly at the brick wall of the building.

One day, he walked past the new guy’s desk and caught a glimpse of his own replacement’s computer screen. The new man was working on something he used to love. The ache in his chest became a pain, sharp and intense.