Gemotions

He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging a comb he hadn't noticed was there. His pulse hammered against his ribs. The news – that the "anti-gravity" boots were already patented by a company in Japan – had just hit him like a physical blow. He'd poured his heart and soul into this project, mortgaged his house, and now... nothing.

His jaw clenched. He felt a fire in his chest, a burning resentment that threatened to consume him. The air in his tiny apartment felt thick, suffocating. He kicked a discarded wrench across the floor.

"Damn it," he muttered, the word a raw, guttural sound. He sank into his chair, defeated. The weight of his failed ambition pressed down on him.