Gemotions

The office air hung thick with stale coffee and the hum of computers. Clara stared blankly at her computer screen, the words blurring before her eyes. Opposite her, Ben was laughing, regaling a colleague with the story of their failed attempt to climb that mountain. He recalled the comical mishaps, the near-disasters, the camaraderie.

Clara remembered the relentless wind, the burning lungs, and the crushing disappointment when they had to turn back. Her chest felt constricted, as if the memory itself was a physical weight.

"I thought it was the worst experience of my life, to be honest," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Ben’s smile wavered.