Gemotions

“Another coffee?” asked Ben, his colleague, offering the pot. Liam waved him away. He couldn't stomach another drop. The promotion race was the only topic of conversation, and the constant reminders made him feel sick. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists beneath his desk.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to run. He imagined himself leaving the office, vanishing into the bustling city streets. He leaned back in his chair, trying to steady his breathing. The pressure he felt was mounting, building like a storm.

He watched the clock, the hands moving agonizingly slow. He could barely focus on his work, his thoughts a chaotic swirl of doubt and anxiety. The thought of the announcement loomed, a dark cloud hanging over his day.