Gemotions

The scent of lavender wafted through the air as Amelia prepared for her evening bath. She’d spent the day writing, the words flowing effortlessly, a testament to her renewed focus. She felt an almost childlike joy, a sense of lightness she hadn't experienced in years. She felt revitalized.

That evening, her phone buzzed with a message from her best friend, a link to a scathing article. Hesitantly, she clicked and read the story. Then the comparison, the words side-by-side. The author. The book she loved. The book that mirrored her work. Her work, stolen and repackaged.

The water, once inviting, now felt cold. The lavender scent became cloying. Her chest felt constricted, her breath growing shallow. She stared at the screen, her eyes burning with unshed tears. The joy she had felt all day evaporated in an instant.