Gemotions

“Another rejection, huh?” Her friend's voice seemed to echo in her ears. Each failed audition, each unanswered phone call, chipped away at her resolve. She felt a throbbing ache behind her eyes, a constant, low-level pain. She had found the time capsule in a park, while she was wandering aimlessly, hoping to find some kind of clarity.

Inside, a photograph of herself beaming, holding a microphone. A letter, filled with optimistic promises. She couldn't bring herself to read it, the words felt like a cruel joke. She crumpled the paper in her fist, the brittle sound amplified in the stillness. A sob escaped her, and she hated herself for it.