Gemotions

The gentle sway of the hammock lulled Elena into a drowsy state. A book lay open on her stomach, its pages untouched for the last half hour. The heat of the afternoon sun was a welcome weight on her skin, and the world seemed to slow to her pace. She could hear the faint chirping of crickets. The stresses of the week seemed far away. She closed her eyes, letting the world fade away. She felt the comfortable pressure of the ropes on her back.

A notification chime jolted her. She reached for her phone, expecting a message from her sister. Instead, the email was from the editor of a literary journal. The subject line read, “Your story has been published!” Her heart gave a small thud of excitement.

She opened the email, her pulse quickening. She scanned the email quickly, her eyes darting to the top. The byline read, "By, Robert Jenkins." Her breath caught in her throat. The easygoing atmosphere evaporated. She felt a cold knot tighten in her chest.