Gemotions

The news felt like a shot of pure adrenaline. His body hummed, buzzing with a barely contained energy. He leaped from his desk, arms raised in a silent victory dance, nearly knocking over his coffee mug in the process. He had done it! After years of struggling, he had finally cracked the code, getting a piece published.

He pulled up the website, eager to see the article live, the comments already forming in his mind. The smile froze on his face. The name at the top wasn't his. It was a name he didn't recognize. The air whooshed out of his lungs.

He collapsed back into his chair, the chair creaking under the weight of his sudden disappointment. The once-bright office felt dim, shadowed by this unexpected blow. He felt the elation that had been building inside him, dissipate into the ether.