Gemotions

“No, no, no,” muttered Michael under his breath, staring at the screen. He'd been looking for a campus map. Then he’d seen the words: “A Selection of Successful Applications.” His essay was there, the one about his love for his family, and he didn’t know what to do. His mouth felt dry, and he could feel a prickling sensation on his skin.

He felt trapped, as if he were on display in a glass case. He immediately minimized the window, then shut his laptop entirely, as if that could somehow make it all disappear. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee the coffee shop where he was sitting, to get away from the potential for embarrassment.