Gemotions

He’d always admired the work of the enigmatic author known only as "The Serpent." Now, staring at the evidence of plagiarism, Liam felt a physical sickness rise within him. His palms were slick, and he scrubbed them repeatedly against his jeans. He could feel a pressure building behind his eyes, a sensation that made him want to scream.

He re-read the article again and again, as if the words themselves would somehow change, as if the reality would dissolve. He got up and began pacing, the small space of his room closing in on him. He felt an urge to run, to escape.

He found himself reaching for his worn copy of "Whispers in the Dark", his favorite Serpent novel, but quickly recoiled, as if burned. He threw the book against the wall and watched it fall to the floor with a dull thud.