Gemotions

Liam ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, scattering the remnants of his breakfast across the kitchen counter. The online literary magazine featured his essay, “The Unexpected Symphony of a City Bus,” prominently displayed as an example of exceptional prose. He wanted to throw up.

He felt a hot flush rising from his chest, creeping up his neck. The coffee suddenly tasted like ash in his mouth. He scanned the comments, each one a tiny pinprick against the shield he’d painstakingly erected around himself.

He snatched the newspaper from the table, scanning it for any news that might distract him. Nothing. The world continued on, oblivious to the fact that his most intimate thoughts, his struggles, were now dissected by strangers. He wanted to vanish.