Gemotions

He stared at the computer screen, the words of the rejection letter burning in his memory. "Not novel." His energy battery, the fruit of years of late nights and relentless work, was already taken. It was a crushing blow. He felt a sudden, profound fatigue, a weariness that seeped into his bones. His mentor, who was also his uncle, was already calling, his voice laced with pity. The conversation, inevitable, would be a reminder of the life he was trapped in. A life of financial strain, constant help from the family, and a future of mediocrity.