Gemotions

A wave of nausea churned in David's stomach. His groundbreaking solar-powered water purifier, the culmination of a decade’s work, was his ticket to saving the world, or at least, making a decent living. Then he saw it: a tiny, unassuming advertisement in a trade magazine for "Eco-Clean," a device remarkably similar. He felt a deep, sickening emptiness fill him.

He slammed the magazine shut, the sound echoing in his small apartment. The world seemed to tilt. His meticulous notes, his prototypes, the sleepless nights – all for naught. He dragged a hand through his hair, a groan escaping his lips. He'd never felt so defeated.