Gemotions

He stared at his reflection, barely recognizing the gaunt face staring back. He hadn't shaved in days. His eyes were bloodshot, ringed with dark circles. He’d skipped dinner the last two nights, the thought of food turning his stomach.

The email, the confirmation of the theft, sat in his inbox, a digital papercut. His groundbreaking research on interstellar communication, published under someone else’s name. He felt a deep, throbbing ache in his temples, a constant, dull pressure. He felt like the energy had been drained from him. He couldn't muster the strength to get dressed.

He considered sending an angry email to the journal, drafting and deleting it multiple times. He knew, deep down, that it wouldn't change anything. The article had already been published, the damage done.