Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed with a Saturday morning energy, but for Daniel, the atmosphere was like a fog. He sipped his lukewarm latte, the taste doing nothing to rouse him. He had always admired the sharp wit and biting commentary of Evelyn Reed. Her essays, always challenging, always insightful, had become his weekly ritual. The news that she’d copied extensively from other sources had hit him like a physical blow.

He’d come to the cafe hoping to find a spark of inspiration, to begin work on his own manuscript. But the words eluded him, the cursor on his laptop mocking him.

He pushed his coffee away, the ceramic cup clinking against the table. The chatter of the other patrons grated on his nerves. He felt a profound sense of loss, a deflated balloon of hope. The world seemed dull, grey and washed out.