Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the park where Sarah sat, the latest book by the celebrated author, Ava Blackwood, resting open on her lap. She remembered the thrill of meeting Blackwood last year at a book signing, how she’d stammered out a question about Blackwood's inspiration. Now, she felt a profound sense of loss.

Inside the book, a passage jumped out at her. She’d written a very similar scene during her adolescence. She'd scrapped the story years ago.

A wave of nausea washed over her. She crumpled the book in her hands. The world suddenly felt harsh and unforgiving. She felt utterly exposed, unworthy of even her own ideas.