Gemotions

Sarah slumped onto the uncomfortable park bench, the blueprints of her automated dog walker crinkling in her grasp. The wind felt like a physical burden, trying to push her down. Another patent application denied. *Denied*. She had known, in her deepest heart, that someone had already beaten her to it.

A sigh escaped her lips, a sound of profound exhaustion. She pulled a half-eaten granola bar from her bag, the simple act of chewing requiring a Herculean effort. Her shoulders slumped; the park, once a place of inspiration, now felt like a cage of green and light. The laughter of children playing nearby grated on her nerves.