Gemotions

Thomas slammed the laptop shut. He couldn't look at the article any longer. It detailed how the beloved sci-fi author, Anya Sharma, had lifted entire scenes from his unpublished manuscript, “Echoes of the Void.” He'd always considered his work niche, destined for the digital slush pile. Now, his words were gracing the pages of a bestseller, attributed to someone else.

He paced his apartment, kicking at a stray sock. His usually steady hands trembled. A tremor coursed through him, a physical manifestation of his distress. He could feel the eyes of the public. He felt that he had done something wrong, though he had nothing to do with it.

He finally sat down on the floor, head in his hands. He'd poured his heart into “Echoes of the Void.” It had been his dream. Now, his dream was tainted, defiled by a woman he’d admired, and by association, by himself.