Gemotions

He’d bought the book, a collection of vintage travel guides, hoping for a nostalgic escape. Instead, he found a letter, a scathing critique of a friend’s travel blog. The writer, anonymous, savaged the writing, the photos, even the friend’s choice of destinations. A wave of heat flushed his cheeks.

He balled his fists, the paper crinkling in his grasp. He wanted to tell them how wrong they were, to defend his friend, to scream at the anonymous author for their callousness.

He tossed the travel guide onto a nearby shelf, the action deliberately loud. He then stormed out of the bookstore, his jaw clenched, the words of the letter echoing in his head. He didn't want to see anyone. He couldn’t.