Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office seemed to hum a mocking tune. Sarah gripped the stapler with white knuckles, the plastic digging into her palm. Her supervisor, Mr. Henderson, had cheerfully announced her new trainee, a fresh-faced college graduate named Emily. He'd even clapped her on the back, a gesture that usually made her feel warm, but now just felt… wrong.

"So, Emily, this is Sarah," Mr. Henderson had said, his voice brimming with unearned enthusiasm. "Sarah's been a real rockstar in this role." Sarah had managed a tight smile, the muscles in her jaw screaming in protest.

Later, in her cubicle, she found herself slamming the stapler against the desk, the sharp *crack* a release of pent-up frustration. She’d spent five years building her expertise, honing her skills, and now… now she was supposed to hand it all over, detail by painstaking detail, to someone who probably thought spreadsheets were "meh". The thought brought a bitter taste to her mouth.