Gemotions

He stared at the glossy magazine, his stomach churning. There it was, his meticulously crafted short story, "Echoes in the Void," gracing the pages of "Literary Luminaries." But the author? Eleanor Vance. Not him. Not David Miller, who'd spent months perfecting every sentence, every comma.

He picked up the phone, the receiver feeling heavy. He dialed the editor's number, the digits blurring slightly on the screen. The hold music grated on his nerves, each note a deliberate jab.

When the editor finally answered, David's voice came out clipped and tight. He laid out the situation, his tone controlled, but each word carefully chosen. He described the plot, the characters, knowing the editor would try to wiggle out of it. He finished with a flat, "I'd like an explanation."