Gemotions

The phone vibrated in Emily's hand, sending a shiver through her. She ignored it. She knew it would be her mother, asking about the interview. She could barely hold the phone. The news had hit her like a punch to the gut. Her piece on climate change was published under the byline of a 'Professor Harrison.'

She stared at the ceiling, the stucco a dizzying pattern above her. She felt a knot, a tight twisting in her stomach. She hadn't eaten all day.

She closed her eyes, trying to force herself to breathe deeply. Her whole career depended on this article. She needed to make calls, send emails, do *something.* But her limbs felt heavy, and the world seemed to tilt precariously.