Gemotions

The email arrived late at night, a notification she almost deleted. It was from a literary agent, praising the manuscript attached. The author's name? Daniel Carter. Her husband's name was David. Her mouth went dry.

She clicked the attachment. The story described a woman struggling with a husband who neglected her, who took her for granted. She saw herself in the character's loneliness, her disappointment. She saw David in the character's flaws.

She slowly began to feel the air leave her lungs. The room felt suddenly too small. David was asleep in the bed, snoring softly. She considered waking him, but couldn’t manage it. Instead, she backed away from the bed as if she were facing a stranger.