Gemotions

The air in the library felt thick, stifling. Sarah had spent weeks researching, writing, and editing. She'd sacrificed sleep, social events, everything. The published piece, under someone else's name, was a kick in the gut.

She sat at her usual table, surrounded by stacks of books, the weight of her disappointment pressing down on her. Her vision swam. She felt a pressure behind her eyes. She wanted to disappear, to vanish into the anonymity of the shelves.

She clenched her jaw, biting back the rising tide of emotion. She was tired, so utterly exhausted. She closed her eyes, trying to conjure the energy to get through the day. But the energy was gone.