Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, glowing with the malevolent promise of a bad day. She hesitated, her fingers hovering over the mouse. It detailed the similarities between her short story, "Echoes in the Valley," and a chapter in Ethan Blackwood's newest novel, "Crimson Rivers." Her stomach churned.

She clicked. The comparison document opened, each blatant parallel highlighted in jarring red. A tremor ran through her, leaving her suddenly chilled despite the warmth of the afternoon sun streaming through her window. She felt a need to pace. She needed to move, to do something, anything to quell the mounting pressure in her chest.

Amelia ran her hand through her hair, then back and forth, several times. Ethan Blackwood. Her idol. A fraud. The realization left her feeling sickened, her world tilted. She stared at the screen, unable to look away, as if the words themselves were a threat. The air around her felt thick, difficult to breathe.