Gemotions

The awards ceremony was the worst. He was sitting at his table, the words "Congratulations to Dr. Eleanor Vance, for her ground-breaking article..." still ringing in his ears. It should have been him. It was his work. He struggled to breathe.

He clutched the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. The room seemed to spin. He excused himself, stumbling out into the hallway. The laughter and chatter followed him, mocking his misfortune.

He leaned against the wall, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. He had poured his heart and soul into that research. Now, he was a ghost in his own professional life.