Gemotions

"A culinary catastrophe," the words screamed from the laptop screen. Ben, usually brimming with confidence, felt his resolve crumble. He looked at his hands, hands that were once praised, now seemed clumsy, inadequate. He went back to the kitchen, the familiar space suddenly felt foreign and hostile.

He spent hours meticulously cleaning the ovens, scrubbing surfaces until they gleamed. Each task, usually a comfort, felt like an exercise in futility. He was going to a competition, but now he didn't want to go.

He called his mentor, voice cracking as he talked. The phone was dropped after a few short words, the feeling of uselessness washing over him like a cold wave.