Gemotions

The email shimmered on her phone screen, a beacon of pure joy. *Subject: Congratulations!* A competition she'd entered, a long shot, was offering to publish her short story. She bounced on the balls of her feet, a giggle bubbling up from her chest. Her phone nearly flew from her grasp as she scrambled to open it.

A day later, the news broke. A literary scandal. Her literary idol, the author whose work she devoured, was revealed to be a plagiarist. The story she had just had accepted? It bore a striking resemblance to a story by the disgraced author.

A coldness spread through her. The world tilted on its axis. Her stomach lurched. Was this her big break, or a cruel joke played by the universe?