Gemotions

He found himself pacing his cramped apartment at 3 AM. The city noises – the distant sirens, the rumble of passing trucks – amplified the buzzing in his head. The promotion hung over him like a persistent, suffocating cloud. He'd tried to appear calm, collected, but inside, a beast clawed at his insides.

Every morning, he woke up with a knot in his stomach. The coffee tasted metallic, the cereal like sawdust. He watched Sarah, his competitor, with a scrutiny that felt invasive, looking for any sign, any advantage she might hold. He’d analyze her posture, the inflection in her voice.

He'd started avoiding his friends. He couldn’t bring himself to discuss the matter, the subject too hot, too likely to trigger an outburst. He'd find himself excusing himself, claiming work commitments, when really, he just needed to be alone with his anxiety.