Gemotions

He slammed his fist on the table, making the teapot jump. The response from his dream publisher had just arrived, as if a weight that had been hovering above him had finally dropped. The sound of the smash echoed in his ears.

He stood up so fast, the chair nearly tipped over behind him. He started pacing back and forth, trying to burn off the tension, trying to dissipate the heavy feeling in his chest. Each step was hurried, a frantic attempt at escape.

He looked at the manuscript sitting on the table, then walked away. He couldn't look at it. He couldn't think about it. The rejection felt physical, a crushing weight that threatened to suffocate him.