Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. “Congratulations! Your college essay has been selected for publication…” The words blurred before Leo's eyes. He felt a sudden, sharp ache in his temples.

He sat on the park bench, the autumn leaves swirling around him, a scene of vibrant cheer he couldn't connect with. He’d written about his dream of becoming a writer. Now, his essay, a raw account of his troubled childhood, was being used as a template for others.

He felt a deep, gnawing sadness, a pervasive hollowness. The ambition, the fire that once burned within him, was reduced to embers. He wanted to feel something, anything, besides this crushing weight that settled upon his soul. He kicked a stray pebble, the sound lost in the rustling of the leaves.