Gemotions

"Are you even listening?" Her sister’s voice, usually a comfort, now felt like a nagging drone. Liam was staring out the window, at the bustling street below. He hadn't heard a word she said. The news of Carver Reed's plagiarism had settled inside him like a stone.

He’d missed work. He’d cancelled his plans. He felt a hollowness he couldn’t name. He knew he should be doing something, anything, but the energy to move seemed to have deserted him. His phone buzzed with emails and texts, all unanswered.

He'd felt a profound connection to Reed's work, a feeling of belonging. Now, that connection felt severed, leaving him adrift. He took a deep breath, but the air did little to fill the emptiness.