Gemotions

The email sat in the inbox, mocking him. It was a perfectly innocuous subject line: "Congratulations! Your article is live!" He'd been expecting it, waiting for it, yet the words felt like a physical blow. His breath hitched, a shallow gasp that left him feeling lightheaded. He grabbed at the kitchen counter for support, his knuckles white. The attached link led to his painstakingly crafted piece, but the byline… it wasn't his name. It was another writer’s.

He scrolled down, heart hammering against his ribs, searching for an explanation, a mistake. There was nothing. Just the other writer's name, bold and confident, staring back at him. A wave of nausea surged; he barely made it to the bathroom before he was retching. The cold tile floor felt oddly comforting against his cheek.