Gemotions

A coldness settled in Ben's chest as he stared at the comments. Brutal, unforgiving words spewed from the anonymous posters. His teenage diary, once a private sanctuary, now a public forum for ridicule. He felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the otherwise silent apartment. His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms. He didn’t want to see it, didn't want to engage. He found himself pacing, unable to sit still, the floorboards creaking under his weight.

He reached for his phone, then quickly put it down. The urge to call his friends, to confide in someone, was almost overwhelming. The thought of them reading the same words, cringing, judging… He couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was utterly, utterly alone. He sat on his couch and the silence pressed in on him.