Gemotions

The morning was a struggle. Sarah took twice as long to get dressed, her limbs heavy and unresponsive. Usually, she was the picture of efficiency, ready to tackle the day. But today, the prospect of anything at all – getting groceries, calling her mum, cleaning the dishes – felt like scaling Everest. She felt a profound lack of motivation, which made her dislike the day even more.

A news alert popped up on her phone. “Famed Author, Eleanor Vance, Accused of Plagiarism.” Sarah’s breath hitched. She loved Vance's work. She lived for her books. She opened the article, her fingers trembling. The evidence was presented with stark clarity. Word-for-word similarities to a lesser-known author. A feeling of profound disappointment settled over her, chilling her to the bone.

She spent the day slumped on the couch, the curtains drawn, the world outside a blurry, irrelevant mess. The books she had on her shelves now felt like tainted trinkets.