Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Elara's flat, mirroring the storm brewing inside her. She slammed the rejection letter onto her desk, the cheap paper crinkling under the force. Hours, months, a lifetime, poured into that manuscript. She'd envisioned the cover, the launch party, the awards. Now, dust.

Her stomach churned. She kicked a stray sock under the sofa. The cat, sensing the shift in atmosphere, gave her a wide berth. Instead of getting on with the day, she went back to her draft copy and began to cross out every single word.

The lukewarm coffee she'd made earlier sat cold in its mug. She grimaced, the bitterness matching the taste in her mouth.