Gemotions

David slammed the laptop shut, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent apartment. The screen displayed the proof: a direct copy of his short story used in the renowned, and newly-released, novel by Charles Beaumont. He could feel a strange tightness in his chest.

For years, David had struggled to get his work noticed. He’d endured countless rejections, the sting of anonymity. He'd even sent a manuscript to Beaumont's publisher, a long shot. The feeling of impotence washed over him. He wanted to make Beaumont pay.

He started small. He knew where Beaumont lived. He bought a can of black spray paint and went to his house. He spray-painted a large message on the front of his house, a stark declaration of the crime.