Gemotions

The weight on Arthur’s shoulders was immense, like a physical burden. He had dreamed of this moment for years: seeing his name on the cover of a published book. Now, the dream lay in tatters, a casualty of the impersonal words in the editor’s rejection. He reread the email, hoping the words would magically transform into something else. They didn't.

He stopped eating. The fridge was full, but the thought of food made him feel sick. He sat at his desk, staring at the manuscript, its pages now seeming to mock him. He could not focus, and felt restless and agitated. He got up and began to pace.

He felt a deep sense of shame, an embarrassment he couldn't shake. He wanted to disappear, to vanish into the folds of his own imagination. He looked outside the window and saw a beautiful day, but could not care.