Gemotions

He dreamt of the office. He'd wake up, drenched in sweat, seeing the forms of his colleagues. The nightmares never changed, the scene of him standing, pleading, and them, with smiles of pity on their faces.

Every morning, he’d force a smile, a mask to hide the turmoil bubbling inside. He knew the competition was fierce, that Emily, the other candidate, was a serious threat. But the weight of the situation felt like a physical burden. He found himself walking hunched over, his shoulders carrying the full weight of expectation.

He started to drink more. A glass of wine with dinner turned into two, then three. The alcohol offered a brief respite, a momentary forgetting, before the darkness returned, even more intense.