Gemotions

He stared at the Amazon listing on his phone, the image of the book, a cheap, lurid cover, mocking him. *The Reluctant Prophet: A Life Uncovered.* His stomach churned, a cold, relentless wave. He felt a dizzying emptiness in his chest, like something vital had been ripped away.

“No, no, no,” he muttered, the words barely audible. He gripped his phone tighter, knuckles bone-white. The reviews. They were already there. People commenting on his, *his*, failures, his heartbreaks, his entire existence.

He lurched to his feet, pacing the cramped apartment. Each footfall seemed to echo the relentless pounding in his head. The walls felt like they were closing in, the air thick and heavy. He needed to *do* something, to stop this, to…