Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in her mouth, a fitting parallel to the day she was having. She hadn't slept well in weeks. The phone rang, shattering the already fragile peace. It was her agent. Her article, the one about the disappearing bee populations, was published. And her name wasn't on it. It was someone else's. She felt a tremor run through her body, her hands clenching into fists.

The world seemed to tilt. The vibrant colors of the coffee shop blurred into a gray haze.

Her breath hitched. This was the culmination of everything. The relentless effort, the sacrifices she made. Was it all for nothing? She wanted to scream, to lash out. But all that emerged was a small, defeated sigh.