Gemotions

He saw the email on his phone at a coffee shop. "Congratulations! Your essay, ‘The Echo in the Caves,’ has been selected for the university's annual alumni magazine." His hands froze. He’d never even told his family about it. He felt the blood drain from his face.

The barista called out his order. He ignored it. He felt trapped, his words now fodder for a promotional campaign. He envisioned the glossy photographs, the testimonials, the carefully curated image of a perfect student.

He imagined the smug satisfaction of the university administrators, the feeling of ownership they would take over his narrative. He wanted to scream, to rip the email from the screen, to disappear. He paid for his coffee and left, without taking it, abandoning the world, his feelings unresolved.