Gemotions

Sarah chewed on her lip, the taste of metal filling her mouth. The email lay open on her laptop screen, the sender's name a vibrant shade of blue that seemed to mock her. The patent number of her competitor. The machine she had poured her heart and soul into. The device that was meant to revolutionize her field.

She sat straighter in her chair, a sudden chill running down her spine. Each time she saw the document, it was the same feeling – a tightness around her chest, as if someone were slowly squeezing the air from her lungs. She couldn't breathe.

She scrolled through the patent drawings, her fingers trembling. Every line, every angle, mirrored her own design. A wave of nausea rolled over her, forcing her to close the laptop. She needed air.