Gemotions

The silence of the library was usually a comfort to David. Today, it was a torment. His book review, a scathing dissection of a new novel, had been published. However, the author byline wasn't his, but rather, the name of a senior journalist.

David felt a strange hollowness, as if something vital had been ripped out of him. He ran his hand over the worn cover of the book he held, the words suddenly meaningless. He felt a deep disorientation, a feeling that the world was off-kilter.

He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the polished floor. He needed to be alone, to process this… this… whatever it was. His legs carried him towards the exit, his mind a whirlwind of confusion, denial, and a growing sense of injustice. He needed to get out, now.