Gemotions

Liam choked down his coffee, the bitter liquid somehow mirroring the metallic taste that had suddenly bloomed in his mouth. He’d devoured every novel Silas Blackwood had ever penned, considered him a literary god. Now, the online forum discussions, the accusations, the side-by-side comparisons, painted a different picture. A thief. A fraud.

He tossed the newspaper across the room, the headlines screaming the news of the literary scandal. His knuckles were white against the worn leather of his armchair. He stared at the wall.

He grabbed his keys and ran out to his car, and for the first time in his life, he regretted the large Silas Blackwood tattoo on his forearm. He drove aimlessly, the radio a cacophony of voices, each one fueling the burning sensation in his chest.

When he finally pulled over, he was in front of a bookstore, his favorite. He went inside and ripped the cover off the last book he bought by the author, and put the book on the return pile.