Gemotions

The bus rattled and swayed, carrying Mark away from the city. The landscape blurred past. He clutched the used copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" he had bought earlier. The letter he had found inside felt like a weight in his pocket.

The letter, addressed to a former employer, confirmed his suspicions. It was an account of his professional failings, written in cold, clinical prose. The letter had been a scathing review. He felt the blood drain from his face.

He stared out the window, unable to meet the eyes of the other passengers. He felt exposed, vulnerable. The bus roared on, carrying him further and further away from everything.