Gemotions

The elevator ride felt interminable. As the doors opened, Carol stepped out, her legs shaky. She felt a cold dread settle in her stomach. She had just spoken with HR, and the numbers they presented were, frankly, insulting. New hire, Jake, with less than six months experience, was being paid more.

She walked slowly towards her desk, her shoulders hunched. The open-plan office, usually a space she found energizing, now felt like a vast, empty wasteland. She avoided eye contact with her colleagues, not wanting to betray her inner turmoil.

Her hands fumbled with her keyboard, the familiar clack of the keys grating on her nerves. She felt a tightness in her chest, a physical manifestation of the anger she was trying to suppress. Her mind raced, questioning her value, her contributions, her very worth within the company.