Gemotions

Ethan slammed the door, the sound echoing through his empty apartment. He’d just left the library. He’d been lost in a book. Lost in the world. He'd gone there to get away from his problems. The email, from ‘PixelatedDreamer,’ sat open on his laptop screen. They had a shared interest in the library. Then, a mention of a specific section – the same section Ethan frequented.

He paced his small living room, his frustration building. A cold sweat prickled his skin. The thought of encountering this person in real life, of the boundary between the virtual and the physical dissolving, sent a jolt of anxiety through him. It was a threat.

He stopped, his gaze fixed on the floor. He wanted to disappear.