Gemotions

"Unbelievable," she muttered, the word a dry rasp in her throat. She stared at the gallery brochure, the pictures of her competitor's sculpture glaring back at her. Her own project, a towering installation using recycled materials, had taken her years to conceive and execute. Its message was important, a testament to her beliefs.

Now, though, she found her breath shallow. The brochure's sleek design, the competitor’s confident smile, the uncanny similarity of the work – all combined to make her feel…hollow. The air in her studio felt thick, stagnant.

She ran a hand over her face, leaving a smear of paint across her cheek. She didn’t know if she could continue, the fire in her now just embers. She slumped back in her chair, a sense of weary defeat washing over her.