Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the diner cast an unnatural glow on his face. Michael slumped against the counter, the exhaustion evident in the slumped posture. He’d been working on a complex algorithm for weeks, fueled by caffeine and sheer will. He craved the oblivion of sleep.

He was waiting for a colleague when his phone buzzed. An email. A shared document. The subject line was identical to his project title. His hands were shaking slightly. He opened it, the text blurring before his eyes. The same lines of code. The same theoretical framework. Another algorithm. His carefully constructed world began to crumble. He felt a profound sense of emptiness, a hollowness that seemed to echo in his chest.

He took a long, slow breath, trying to steady himself. This was all he had.