Gemotions

I felt a coldness creeping into my bones. The letter had arrived just an hour ago, but it had already burrowed its way into my being, poisoning everything. I couldn’t bear to look at the manuscript, its title mocking me from the desk.

I went for a walk, hoping the fresh air would clear my head, but the world was suddenly a blur of colors and sounds, a cacophony of reminders of my failure. Every face I saw seemed to be laughing at me.

I wanted to run, to hide, to disappear. The path stretched endlessly before me, and I felt utterly alone, completely adrift. I wanted the pain to stop. I needed the world to end.