Gemotions

The office building loomed over her like a concrete monolith, each window a judgmental eye. It was a bleak morning and the rain was unrelenting. As she approached the building, Maya took a deep breath to calm herself, but her chest felt tight. Her replacement, a young man named Ben, was waiting for her. She knew that he was a nice person, but it was hard for Maya to feel anything other than resentment.

As she began to review the client database with Ben, her heart rate accelerated. Her throat constricted, making it difficult to speak clearly. The words seemed to catch, and she had to pause frequently to gather herself. She kept feeling a desperate need to flee.

She had been in her position for 10 years, and it suddenly felt like she was a stranger in a strange land. Every instruction felt like a confession of vulnerability. The silence between sentences was almost unbearable.