Gemotions

"Impossible," Clara whispered, the word barely audible. The online journal article glared back at her, the title of her PhD thesis, under the name "Dr. Thomas Ashton." She'd worked for years on this, sacrificing sleep, social life, everything. Now, this. Her vision blurred, the text swimming before her eyes.

She instinctively reached for her water bottle, but her hand shook so violently, she knocked it over. Water spilled across her desk, soaking the very notes that had birthed her article. She barely noticed. It was as if her entire reality had shifted, leaving her standing on quicksand.

Her breath came in short, shallow gasps. She felt a burning sensation behind her eyes, the beginning of a headache. The silence of her office, usually a comfort, now felt oppressive, suffocating. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words wouldn't form. All that existed was a numb disbelief.