Gemotions

He woke up with a smile, stretched, and looked out the window. The city sparkled in the morning light. The birds were singing, a cheerful chorus that usually lifted his spirits. He had a great day planned, a long walk in the park, and a nice lunch.

He opened his email. There it was. The article he had worked so hard on was published. But the byline… it was not his.

The smile vanished. The birdsong was now a grating noise. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest. His breath hitched in his throat. He threw his phone across the room, the device slamming against the wall. The bright morning was suddenly bleak, the city a cold, indifferent mass of concrete and steel.