Gemotions

The email sat in the inbox, mocking him. *Published!* it declared, underneath a name that wasn't his. A knot tightened in his stomach, a slow, deliberate squeeze. He inhaled deeply, the air filling his lungs with the scent of old paper and the quiet hum of the library around him. He'd poured weeks into that article. He’d meticulously researched every detail, polished every sentence. Now, someone else was reaping the rewards.

He reached for his lukewarm coffee, taking a long, slow sip. The bitterness did little to quell the rising tide of… something. He considered drafting an angry email, a scathing rebuttal. He imagined the words, sharp and biting, as they flew from his fingertips. But instead, he took another sip, then tapped the delete key on the email. He would deal with it, he decided, after his shift at the library was over.