Gemotions

Liam was in the middle of a particularly intense workout at the gym, pushing through the last rep of his bench press when his phone buzzed. It was a news alert: “Acclaimed Author, Eleanor Vance, Accused of Plagiarism.” Liam, a devoted follower of Vance's historical fiction, dropped the weights, the sudden clang startling those around him.

He stormed out of the gym, not bothering to shower, the chill air doing nothing to soothe the heat that had flared up in his chest. Back at his apartment, he found it to be true: Vance had lifted sections directly from his own unpublished manuscript, a meticulously researched saga set during the French Revolution. Liam reread the stolen passages, a bitter taste rising in his throat.

He threw the manuscript across the room, it hitting the wall. He needed to talk to someone, but the words wouldn't come. He felt a deep, slow burn, a resentment he didn't know how to channel. He decided to drink a beer, but could barely choke down the first sip.