Gemotions

The shared folder loomed, a digital monument to her misfortune. Lisa stared at the files, each a painful echo of her own efforts. They were everywhere – the same code, the same designs, the same *thoughts*. She felt a profound sense of violation.

She ran a hand through her hair, the gesture rough and impatient. She had been so sure she was alone. The audacity of their shared vision felt personal, insulting. She felt a burning need to destroy it all.

Without a second thought, she began deleting files, one by one, watching as her work – and, it felt, her identity – dissolved before her eyes.