Gemotions

He stared at the blank screen, the cursor blinking like a mocking eye. Thomas hadn’t slept properly in days. The pressure was suffocating. He rubbed his temples, a dull headache thrumming behind his eyes. He had pinned all his aspirations on this one thing. This project would mean everything for his career. Now, with a deadline just hours away, he felt like he was running in quicksand.

Then, the email came. The subject line, from his supposed “collaborator”, made his stomach twist. The attached file opened, and a bitter taste filled his mouth. *His* project. The same code, the same structure. The exact same proposal.

He leaned back in his chair, the world tilted, a vortex of bitterness. He felt a sharp pang of nothingness. He was utterly devoid of resolve. What was the point of anything? He wanted to vanish.