Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the lab seemed to amplify the hammering in Elias's chest. He stared at the email, the subject line a malevolent grin: "Identical Project Proposal." His fingers, normally deft at the keyboard, fumbled as he clicked open the attachment. A wave of nausea rolled through him, a cold wash over his skin.

He'd poured years into this research, every late night fueled by lukewarm coffee and the belief he was on the precipice of something groundbreaking. Now this. He felt a profound sense of… displacement, a hollowness echoing in his skull.

He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands. The words on the other proposal blurred. The same methodology. The same objectives. The same, goddamn, conclusions. He needed air. He rose from his chair, knocking it over in his haste.