Gemotions

Liam stared at the ceiling, the stucco a familiar, unchanging landscape. A Sunday morning. Nothing to do. Everything to do. His mind, however, seemed incapable of making a decision. His hand wandered towards the laptop, a magnet pulling him in. The digital world seemed to offer some escape. He slumped, his shoulders rounding as he opened a new tab.

A link, a familiar website, and then… a shock. A flash of recognition in a list of featured articles. "Great college essays." He clicked, his pulse quickening. There it was: his essay, perfectly formatted, cited as a prime example of successful writing. The memories flooded back: late nights, revisions, the agonizing process of self-reflection. Now, it was just…there. Published. He felt a disconnect, like witnessing a past self he no longer recognized. He closed the laptop with a snap, feeling a sudden, unexplained urge to go outside.