Gemotions

“Congratulations, Bethany! I loved your article!” The words, intended as praise, sounded like a cruel joke to her ears. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. The email, addressed to the ‘editor’, mentioned the article, the one she'd worked so hard on, the one she’d seen published under someone else’s name.

She forced a smile, wrote a brief, noncommittal reply. Then, she slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing around the empty apartment. She felt a hot flush rising from her chest, spreading to her face, a physical manifestation of her indignation.

She grabbed her coat and left. She walked for hours, her footsteps echoing on the deserted streets, her anger a silent, potent companion. The world seemed to shrink around her, and she felt like a small, insignificant speck.