Gemotions

She hunched over the keyboard, shoulders rounded, as if trying to shrink away from the world. Her fingers, usually a blur of confident motion, now moved with agonizing slowness. She'd poured her heart and soul into her research project, a revolutionary new approach to sustainable energy, a concept she believed could change the world. It was her escape, her reason. Then, the conference announcement.

He had expected excitement, a flush of pride. Instead, a wave of weariness washed over her. She stared at the email, the words blurring before her eyes. The other researcher's name, the title of his talk – all matching her project. A weight settled on her chest, heavy and suffocating. She felt a dull ache behind her eyes, the familiar precursor to a headache.

She closed her laptop, the click echoing in the silent room. The posters she had taped to the wall, detailing her work, seemed mocking in their vibrancy. She felt a deep hollowness, a sense of having been robbed of something vital.