Gemotions

The CEO’s forced smile grated on John’s nerves. He could see it, a brittle facade, plastered across his face. Every word that came from the man was now suspect. The rumours of the company's sale had triggered an immediate physiological reaction.

He started to avoid the break room, avoiding the idle conversations that might reveal the truth. He started working late, staying until the office was empty. He walked the empty halls, noticing things that he hadn't before.

One evening, he found a discarded notebook in the boss's wastebasket. It contained notes, scribbled in code. He carefully extracted the pages, taking them home. He spent hours trying to crack the code, his mind racing, his body buzzing with nervous energy.