Gemotions

"But... how?" Emily stammered, her voice barely a whisper. Across the room, Jason, completely oblivious, continued to explain the intricacies of his research, her research. He was talking about a concept that he had stolen.

Her hands, usually quick and efficient, now felt clumsy and leaden. She pushed her chair back, the screech of the legs an unwelcome sound in the tense silence. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words were trapped in her throat, a thick, suffocating block.

She fled the room, barely registering the concerned glances from her colleagues. Outside, the world seemed to tilt on its axis.