Gemotions

The deadlines were closing in, a vise tightening around Amelia’s chest. Her fingers, usually nimble at the keyboard, fumbled, mis-typing even simple words. She hadn't slept properly in days, and the fluorescent lights of the office seemed to pulse, amplifying the pounding behind her eyes. A notification popped up – a shared Google Doc, a name she didn’t recognize. Curiosity, or perhaps pure distraction, propelled her to click.

Her stomach lurched. The layout, the content, the research…it was all eerily familiar. Exactly what she’d poured her heart and soul into for the past three months. Across the screen, she saw a rival’s name, the project title she’d been toiling over for weeks.

Amelia slammed her laptop shut. This couldn’t be happening. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, a sudden impulse to scream welling up within her. She grabbed her coat, not bothering to notify anyone, and fled the office, the sterile air feeling suddenly suffocating.