Gemotions

The library, usually a sanctuary for Leo, felt oppressive. He'd discovered the truth earlier that day, browsing online. His favorite author, Isobel Gray, was being exposed for plagiarism. And the passages being cited? They were lifted directly from a collection of anonymously published online stories – *his* stories.

Leo wandered the aisles, the familiar scent of old paper and ink now carrying a metallic tang of betrayal. He felt his face flush, and then go cold. He ran his hand over the spines of Gray’s books, his fingers tracing the titles. The books, once symbols of inspiration, now appeared to mock him.

He felt a deep hollowness, a sense of having been robbed of something precious. He wanted to throw the books across the room, to destroy them. Instead, he just stood there, paralyzed, a sense of loss and confusion washing over him.