Gemotions

The bus ride home was a blur. The screen of the phone that had shattered the fantasy was still in her mind. Serena stared out the window, the passing scenery a hazy wash of colors. The article detailing the plagiarism charges against her favorite children's author, Theodore Finch, had hit her like a physical blow.

Her breath came in shallow gasps. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the images, the accusations, the utter betrayal. Her fingers trembled as she pulled the book from her bag, the cover now tainted, the pages feeling like ash.

Serena felt a tightening in her throat, a desperate need to release the pressure that had built inside her. The words she once loved were now a source of pain. The book fell from her grasp, landing with a soft thud on the floor.