Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a relentless drone that grated on Elias’s nerves. He hadn’t slept well for weeks, plagued by a vague dread that clung to him like a damp shroud. Now, here she was – Maya, the fresh-faced recruit, eager and bright-eyed, her smile a little too… much. Elias clenched his jaw as he watched her.

He fiddled with his pen, clicking it repeatedly, the sound echoing in the sudden quiet of their shared cubicle. The air conditioning blasted, raising gooseflesh on his arms. He’d meticulously organized his files the night before, a futile attempt to impose order on the chaos brewing within him.

"So, the first thing," Elias began, his voice sounding flat, "is the quarterly report." He gestured toward the screen. Maya leaned forward, her notepad at the ready. Elias forced a smile, but it felt brittle, like thin ice cracking under pressure.