Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. Accused of copying, of intellectual dishonesty. Mark felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He felt the blood leave his face. He’d worked tirelessly on his project, pouring his heart and soul into it.

He sat for hours, re-reading his work, trying to understand where he’d gone wrong. He traced every sentence back to its source, checking and double-checking citations. He was certain that he had been thorough.

Finally, he stumbled upon the problem. An obscure footnote, improperly formatted. His academic advisor, upon hearing the issue, quickly helped him to correct it. Mark's relief was immediate. He smiled. He breathed easier. The darkness that had enveloped him began to recede.