Gemotions

He stared at the email, the screen blurring. His palms were slick with sweat. He felt as if he could barely stand, and leaned against the countertop, supporting himself. Each line of the publisher's response was a punch to the gut. His stomach twisted.

He had promised his family, his friends, himself. He'd envisioned the book, the success, the validation. Now, the future stretched before him, a vast, empty canvas. He reached for his phone, about to call his wife, but the words wouldn't come.

He turned away from the light, feeling like he might shatter.