Gemotions

"Just… one more email," Amelia mumbled, her voice raspy. She massaged her neck, the muscles there knotted into tight, painful lumps. The office was deserted, the silence amplifying the rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall. Each tick seemed to resonate through her, shaking her to the core.

She scrolled through her inbox, searching for a vital piece of information. She was meant to have it done by the end of today.

Then she saw the subject line. The sender was… her competitor. Her breath hitched. The attached document was, incredibly, a near-perfect replica of her own research proposal.