Gemotions

The scent of old books and leather bound journals always calmed Ben. He loved the way the author, Ronan Grey, painted pictures with words. Ben felt like he knew him, like they were close friends who had shared everything. Then, an article appeared online. A shocking expose, with hard proof. Grey had stolen his plots from lesser-known authors.

Ben felt a physical jolt, like he'd been struck. The words on the screen blurred, then swam before his eyes. He felt a need to sit down, to try and process what he was reading. He felt sick, his stomach churned. This couldn't be true.

He went to his bookshelf, and pulled out his favorite Ronan Grey book. The cover, so familiar, now felt alien, a facade. He ran his fingers over the words, trying to recapture the magic, but it was gone. He dropped the book.