Gemotions

The rhythm of the train lulled Marcus into a state of semi-consciousness. He rubbed his tired eyes, the city blurring past outside the window. He was on the way to a conference, the culmination of years of work on a revolutionary new form of communication. He wanted a break.

He opened his briefcase, reaching for his presentation. Inside, a single printed sheet had been placed. The presentation was identical to his own. The same data, the same conclusions, the same innovative concepts. He looked up, feeling as if the world was tilting on its axis. He felt a hollowness, a sense of quiet desperation, the kind that might come before a storm. He closed his eyes.