Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed, but Sarah barely registered the chatter around her. Her phone practically vibrated with anticipation. She’d refreshed the journal’s page a dozen times already. Finally, there it was, the bright orange banner she’d been longing for.

Then, the world tilted. Her meticulously constructed article. Her words, her thoughts, her painstakingly researched ideas. Published, yes, but credited to someone else entirely. She felt a surge of… something.

Her hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms. A strange fire, a burning, almost impatient desire took hold. She rose, leaving the half-drunk latte untouched. She was going to demand an explanation.