Gemotions

"Unbelievable," she muttered, the word a whisper. Her article, her years of work, her identity, had been appropriated. She felt a profound sense of depletion. She put her head in her hands.

She sat in the dark for a long time, the only sound the hum of the refrigerator. The vibrant city outside her window seemed muted, the laughter of children on the street an irritant. It was as if a part of her had been amputated.

She considered quitting everything, just giving up, but she knew that even that would require effort. It felt impossible.