Gemotions

She stood on the precipice of a great achievement. The award ceremony was tonight, and she was the frontrunner. She felt as though someone had punched her in the chest and stolen her breath.

Then, the announcement. Another team, the same algorithm, the same breakthrough. All that she'd worked so hard for, her carefully planned ascent, felt like it was shattered. Her hands clenched into fists.

She excused herself from the excited crowd and slipped into a deserted hallway. The laughter and chatter of the crowd seemed to echo her pain. The walls felt like they were closing in.

Her face felt hot, and tears blurred her vision. She leaned against the cold wall.