Gemotions

The spreadsheets swam before her eyes. Sarah found herself squinting at the screen, struggling to concentrate. Her replacement, Michael, sat beside her, his expression a polite mask. She tried to explain the complexities of the data analysis, but the words caught in her throat.

She took a shaky breath, then reached for her water bottle. The cool liquid offered a small measure of relief. It felt as though she was being pulled apart, like her brain had forgotten the formulas, the logic, the intricate patterns she had spent years mastering.

She felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to run, to escape the room, to disappear. "Just… let's go over the projections again," she said finally, her voice sounding raspy, strained.