Gemotions

The office felt too quiet. A silence that pressed against Elias’s eardrums, heavier than the usual Friday afternoon lull. He swiveled in his chair, the squeak echoing in the vacant space where Mr. Abernathy’s desk used to be. The mahogany was bare, the usual stacks of paperwork and antique fountain pens vanished. A single potted orchid sat center stage, a stark white bloom in the desolate landscape. He hadn’t noticed it yesterday. A shiver skittered down his spine.

He pulled a file towards him, but the words blurred. His mentor, the man who had guided him through the treacherous waters of the legal world for the past five years, gone. Just…gone. No note, no explanation, just a terse email from HR, saying Mr. Abernathy had retired, effective immediately. He felt a need to pace.

He found himself walking towards the window, staring out at the city. The buildings seemed to lean in, as if mocking his bewilderment. He crossed his arms, the action a unconscious defensive measure. He wanted to call Mr. Abernathy, but the number he had was his personal one. Did he dare intrude? He felt something akin to the ground shifting beneath him.