Gemotions

The headline screamed at him: "A Culinary Catastrophe." Chef Kai slammed the paper down on the table, the force rattling the coffee cups. He took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. "Bland… pedestrian… utterly forgettable." The critic’s judgments were like poisoned darts.

He walked through the kitchen, a volcano about to erupt. He watched his team work, their faces etched with the familiar pressures of a busy service. He wanted to tear apart the entire place.

He grabbed a knife and aggressively chopped some vegetables. His knuckles were white. He was normally so graceful, so deliberate in his movements. Now, every chop was a furious act of defiance. He flung the knife into the sink and slumped.