Gemotions

The newspaper's headline blared: "Local Artist's Genius Unleashed!" Liam stared at the picture of his pottery, now gracing the front page. His creations, painstakingly crafted in his basement workshop, were suddenly famous.

He glanced at the article, reading the flowery prose describing the "soulful glaze" and the "boldly unconventional forms." He felt nothing. He made coffee, poured himself a mug, and sat at his kitchen table.

The phone started ringing almost immediately. Friends, acquaintances, people he barely knew, all offering congratulations and requests for interviews. He let the machine pick up.

He took a bite of his toast, the butter barely softening the crust. He finished his coffee. The day stretched before him, an expanse of possibilities that held no particular promise.