Gemotions

He stared at the magazine, the glossy cover mocking him with its bright colors. Inside, his meticulously researched exposé on the local corruption ring, credited to a reporter named “Brenda Miller.” A bitter taste coated Leo’s mouth. He crumpled the magazine in his hands, the paper crinkling like the sound of a bone breaking. He kicked at a stray pebble on the sidewalk, sending it skittering uselessly across the pavement. The weight in his chest was crushing, a heavy silence that echoed the stolen words. His shoulders slumped as he walked, his gaze fixed on the ground, each step a further descent.