Gemotions

The afternoon stretched out before Maya like an endless highway. She stared out the window of her apartment, watching cars whiz by. She felt a profound sense of detachment, as if she were observing her own life from a great distance.

A friend called, congratulating her. "Your article was amazing, Maya!" she said. Maya furrowed her brow. Article? She hadn't heard anything.

She logged onto her account. Yes, the article. But it wasn’t under her name. A name she didn't recognize, “Sarah Bell.” The screen swam before her. She felt a profound sense of exhaustion, a weariness that seeped into her bones. She closed her laptop, the sunlight suddenly too harsh.