Gemotions

The afternoon stretched before Chloe like an endless desert. She slumped back in her chair, the weight of the day pressing down on her. The hum of the air conditioning was a monotonous drone, a soundtrack to her state of mind. She glanced at the pile of unread books on her desk, each one a reminder of her inertia.

She picked up "The Serpent's Kiss," the captivating novel by the enigmatic Arthur Finch. His prose, his world-building, they were everything. It's what had inspired her to try and write.

A small voice in the back of her head, a friend's casual mention a week ago of Finch's strange career, now rang loud and clear. She hadn't paid attention before, but now she was caught in a current of suspicion. She did a quick search online and the results filled her with a profound, bitter disappointment.