Gemotions

The news arrived in a form letter, a generic email from the university. "Congratulations!" it chirped. His fingers tightened around his phone, almost crushing the device. The featured essay was a piece of him, a vulnerable exploration of his relationship with his estranged brother. Now, it was a showpiece.

He stared at the screen, a knot forming in his gut. The air felt thin, making it difficult to breathe. The essay was a confession of failures and vulnerabilities. He could imagine his brother, reading those words, seeing himself exposed to the world.

He felt a sudden, fierce urge to lash out, to destroy something, to make someone pay for this careless act. He flung his phone across the room. It skittered across the floor, the screen shattering.