Gemotions

The phone practically vibrated off the table. Leo leaped for it, his heart thrumming with excitement. He'd been waiting for this call all week. His agent, confirming the movie deal for his screenplay! This was a dream come true. He threw his arms up in the air, a whoop escaping his lips. He began to pace.

He had always loved the writing of Jasper Thorne. He had read all his books and even kept a blog reviewing them. It was his greatest ambition to achieve his level of writing.

That night, to celebrate, he decided to revisit *Crimson Tides*. He opened the book, eager to lose himself in the familiar narrative. As he read, his smile slowly faded. A growing sense of unease settled in his stomach. A scene here. A character there. Whole passages that sounded eerily familiar.

The words started to blur. The parallels, the blatant similarities to a story he'd written years ago, became undeniable. The room spun. The celebration drinks tasted like ashes in his mouth. He felt the joy drain away, replaced by a bitter, hollow ache.