Gemotions

The tremor in Amelia’s hand was almost imperceptible, but it made her coffee slosh dangerously close to the edge of the mug. She quickly set it down, the ceramic clinking against the wooden table. The headline blared, "Beloved Author Accused of Plagiarism." Beneath it, a comparison of quotes, her own unpublished short story juxtaposed with passages from her idol, Sebastian Crowe’s, latest bestseller.

She felt a hollowness in her chest. She stood up abruptly, feeling a rush of blood to her head. The room tilted. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to physically contain the shock. The words, the narrative voice, the specific details—she knew them all. She had poured her heart into that story.

She looked at her collection of Crowe’s books. Each copy, autographed, once a treasured possession. Now, they felt like accusations. She wanted to throw them across the room. She could barely stand to be in their presence.