Gemotions

“Rubbish,” Elias growled, slamming the magazine shut. He tossed it onto the table. The cafe seemed to grow darker, the sunlight outside somehow muted. He pushed his plate of untouched scrambled eggs away.

He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to see anyone. He just wanted to be left alone. Every person he saw felt judgmental, as if they knew the humiliation he was currently enduring. The review had picked apart his passion project with ruthless efficiency.

Elias got up and wandered to the window. He gazed out at the bustling street, a sea of faces he couldn't connect with. He felt adrift, lost in a world that suddenly felt hostile and unforgiving. He took a deep breath, but the air offered no comfort.