Gemotions

The aroma of burnt coffee clung to the air in Leo's cramped apartment. He'd been up since dawn, staring at the email. His essay, "The Unfolding Map," was listed as an example. His chest felt constricted, as if a weight was pressing down on it. He reached for another cigarette, though he didn't even want one.

He'd crafted the essay carefully, meticulously. He had thought the words were perfect. Now, they seemed so… *public*. He felt exposed. He hadn't touched the essay since submitting it. He didn't want to.

He stared out the window, at the gray, indifferent sky. He felt detached from everything, from the achievement, from his own emotions. He took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke filling his lungs, a temporary distraction.