Gemotions

The air conditioning blasted icy air that made his skin crawl. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. The pressure to excel, to outperform, felt like a physical weight, pressing him down, suffocating him. He was losing control.

He stared at his reflection in the dark screen of his computer, barely recognizing the gaunt face that stared back. The lines around his eyes were deeper, the skin pale. He looked older than his age. Sarah, in contrast, seemed to glow. She had the promotion.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee, to escape the confines of the office, the expectations, the constant competition. He felt a deep, profound emptiness.