Gemotions

His hands wouldn’t stop trembling. David had to lean against the brick wall of the coffee shop, trying to steady them. He’d spent months perfecting his mobile app, a revolutionary tool designed to connect local farmers with consumers. He’d seen the potential, the need, the future. And now, at the industry conference, there it was, his idea, staring back at him from the massive screen of a rival company's presentation.

He'd accidentally walked into the wrong room, lured by a free donut. Now he felt as if the world was spinning.

He should go, leave before he was seen. But he couldn’t move.

The presenter, a slick executive with a practiced smile, rattled off the app's features, each one a mirror image of David's own meticulously crafted code. His own work. What was once his own.

His heart pounded against his ribs. He gripped the edge of the table, knuckles white. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe. He needed air. He needed to scream.