Gemotions

The rejection email sat unanswered in her inbox. Sarah replayed the scene in her mind's eye: her idol, the enigmatic and critically acclaimed novelist, Ethan Drake, on the television, discussing his latest book. The book she knew, with absolute certainty, had borrowed heavily from her unpublished manuscript.

She sat at her desk, the glow from the screen illuminating her pale face. Her apartment was a mess, scattered with drafts of her stories. The walls that had once provided solace now seemed to close in, compressing her spirit. She felt a burning need to lash out, to scream at the injustice of it all. But the words were stuck, lodged in her throat.