Gemotions

Liam kicked a pebble down the sidewalk, each crunch a dull echo of his mood. He’d been ecstatic, practically vibrating with energy, when he first read the leaked manuscript. Now? He felt like he was slogging through quicksand. The author, Elias Thorne, his idol, his north star… a thief.

He’d spent years poring over Thorne’s work, finding solace in the intricate plots and lyrical prose. He'd even tried to emulate Thorne's style in his own, fledgling writing attempts. The thought of it now made him feel sick. He stopped, leaned against a brick wall, and sighed deeply.

The world seemed to have lost its color. The vibrant hues of the autumn leaves, the cheerful chatter of the birds – all muted, distant. A deep weariness settled over him, a bone-deep tiredness that no amount of sleep could soothe. He felt a desire to curl up in a ball and disappear.

Liam pulled out his phone, and saw a notification from a publisher. He ignored it and turned the phone off.