Gemotions

The email arrived, a concise message from the editor: "Congratulations, Sarah! Your piece is a success." Except it wasn't. The byline read "Eliza Blackwood." Sarah felt a jolt of shock, followed by a slow, simmering anger. She clicked the link, her eyes scanning the familiar prose, the precise arguments, the carefully chosen words, now attributed to someone else.

She leaned back in her chair, the sudden stillness of the room amplifying the pounding in her chest. The walls seemed to close in, the air growing heavy. She took a few deep breaths, trying to regain control. The words on the screen blurred, then swam before her eyes.

Picking up her phone, she attempted to call the editor, but the numbers seemed to dance and elude her. The call went straight to voice mail. She hung up, defeated, the weight of the betrayal crushing her. She went to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. The face looking back was pale, drawn, and utterly unfamiliar.