Gemotions

The email arrived with a startling ping, the notification sound cutting through the quiet afternoon. Daniel clicked on the attachment, expecting a syllabus or a lecture slide. Instead, a pdf of his application essay stared back at him. He felt as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He felt a deep, disquieting sensation.

His breath hitched in his throat. He reread the words, his personal vulnerabilities laid bare for the world to see. He had shared so much, and now it was all… here. He felt a coldness spread through his limbs.

He let out a short, involuntary gasp. He spun away from the screen, his vision blurring. He stumbled toward the window, needing air, needing anything to make the feeling subside.