Gemotions

He paced the length of his cramped apartment, the worn rug doing little to soothe his nerves. Liam had poured his heart into the essay. It was supposed to be a stepping stone, a way in. Now, it was… nothing. Just another brick in the wall of someone else's career.

He paused, staring at the notification on his phone. A colleague had messaged him, congratulating him on the publication. A publication he hadn’t been informed of, a publication bearing another man’s name. A slow heat crawled up his neck, prickling his skin. This felt wrong, like a rotten taste lingering on his tongue.

Liam finally sat, the sudden stillness making his ears ring. He imagined the other writer basking in the praise, oblivious to the fact that they were living off of his hard work. He had to do something, he knew it. But what? The thought of confronting anyone made him queasy.