Gemotions

The laptop hummed quietly, a familiar sound in the usually silent apartment. Sarah hadn't touched it in weeks, too busy with work and late-night calls from her sister. Now, catching it open, the glow of the screen drew her in. There was a document entitled "The Sunken City," and a picture of herself as the cover image. Her stomach clenched.

She scanned the first few paragraphs. The protagonist, Elara, was undeniably her; the quirky habit of tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, the precise way she sipped her coffee, all present and accounted for. This had her in a spin.

A coldness settled in her chest. She scrolled further, then closed the laptop, a strange ache thrumming behind her eyes. Why hadn't Mark, her partner of five years, ever said anything?