Gemotions

Sunlight streamed through the window, warming Elias’s face as he stretched. He felt… buoyant. He bounced out of bed, humming a tuneless melody, and threw open his curtains. The crisp morning air filled his lungs. Coffee, he decided, would be the perfect way to begin. He reached for his phone, a grin splitting his face. Then, the email. The subject line, “Academic Integrity Violation.” His stomach plummeted.

He skimmed the accusation. A similar argument, a familiar phrase, a suspiciously close match to a published article. He reread it, his jaw clenched, the initial lightness gone, replaced with a cold dread. He felt his pulse quicken, his hands clammy. This couldn’t be happening. He’d poured his heart into that paper.