Gemotions

The first thing Anya noticed was the way her hands trembled as she sliced the tomatoes. The knife felt heavy and unwieldy. The newspaper, folded neatly on the counter, seemed to radiate a cold aura. The critic's pronouncements – "bland," "forgettable" – echoed in her head like a cruel refrain.

She paused, taking a deep breath. She had always prided herself on her attention to detail, her ability to coax the best flavors from the simplest ingredients. Now, she felt a profound sense of doubt, a creeping feeling that she had somehow lost her way. She couldn’t bring herself to meet the eyes of the other cooks.