Gemotions

The email arrived like a sudden blow. “Congratulations! Your essay, ‘Breaking Free from the Silence,’ has been selected for publication!” For Caleb, the congratulations sounded hollow. He'd poured his soul into the piece.

He threw the phone across the room. He felt a throbbing pulse in his head. The walls of his apartment seemed to close in, and he took a few deep breaths, trying to find some semblance of calm.

He closed his eyes and saw the essay, the words swirling on the page, each a reminder of his exposure. He could barely sit still. The idea of other people reading his words felt like a violation.