Gemotions

“Coffee?” the new guy chirped, offering a paper cup. Liam just managed a weak smile. He’d heard the numbers. Junior colleague, same role, more pay. The bitterness in his mouth was so strong that coffee felt like ash.

The usual buzz of the office had faded. He found himself staring out the window, watching the city go by. The cars, the people, the buildings – all of it seemed to exist in a different world from his. He felt disconnected, adrift.

He took a deep breath, the air filling his lungs with a heavy, unyielding sense of… emptiness. The weight of his responsibilities, of his years of experience, suddenly felt like a burden.