Gemotions

The curtains were drawn, plunging David’s room into semi-darkness. He was in bed, buried beneath the covers, avoiding the sunlight. His textbooks lay untouched on his desk, mocking him with their weight. A half-finished crossword puzzle was spread out on his nightstand.

A new email had arrived. The subject line was like a punch to the gut: "Essay Publication Announcement!" He knew it was his application essay. He had almost forgotten about it.

He braced himself and opened the email.