Gemotions

The small town felt suffocating, its familiarity a constant reminder of his stagnant life. He worked in the local library, surrounded by stories of other people’s lives. His own story, he felt, was unwritten. The days were long, the nights even longer.

He saw the flyer on the bulletin board. A book club meeting. He had to go, maybe it would make things better.

He walked into the room, his heart pounding. The book being discussed was the novel he’d been secretly working on for years. Another writer, a newcomer to the community, was being lauded for their brilliance. He felt his hands begin to shake. The applause sounded like a distant roar.