Gemotions

“Ugh,” Maria muttered as she walked through the office door, the automatic lights flicking on, a harsh awakening. She felt like every muscle in her body was screaming in protest. It was just another day, another endless cycle of emails, meetings, and reports. This was her fifteenth year, and she was getting older.

She overheard a loud discussion in the next cubicle. "Can you believe the signing bonus?" the young man exclaimed. Maria glanced up. He was talking about his new salary, which was substantially higher than hers.

Her hand trembled as she logged in to her computer. The screen seemed to swim before her eyes. The fire within her, the drive she once had, had flickered and dimmed to a dangerous low.