Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the lab hummed, a relentless, irritating drone that matched the thrumming anxiety in Elias's chest. He hadn’t slept well in days, haunted by the creeping feeling of inadequacy that clung to him like a damp shroud. He stared at the progress bar on his computer, the slow, agonizing crawl of the code compilation mirroring the sluggish pace of his life. Everything felt futile.

His phone buzzed. A meeting request from Dr. Chen. Elias swallowed, his throat suddenly tight. This was it. The presentation. He’d poured everything he had into this project, chasing a scientific breakthrough he desperately craved. And now…

He walked down the corridor, his footsteps echoing in the sterile hallway. He found a young woman, familiar yet unknown, standing in front of the presentation room. She smiled, a nervous, expectant gesture. She carried a sleek tablet, the screen glowing with familiar diagrams. His stomach lurched. He felt the blood drain from his face as she showed him, with radiant excitement, the same project, the exact code, the same data, the very same conclusions.