Gemotions

The cold seeped into Clara’s bones, mirroring the icy dread that had taken root in her soul. She huddled in her threadbare coat, ignoring the biting wind. The job interview had been a disaster. Again. She’d spent the last of her savings on the train fare, and now she was truly without options. Her phone pinged. It was Liam, her online friend, the one person who seemed to truly *understand*.

She blinked back tears, willing herself to stay strong. Liam’s messages were the only thing that kept her from… from letting go. “Feeling low?” he typed. His words felt warm. "Terrible." she replied.

He sent back a series of supportive emojis. Suddenly, she saw it, in his usual location update. The park she knew. The same park she walked through every morning to get to the library. The same park she would be walking through again tomorrow. A wave of something akin to panic washed over her. She typed, "I need to get out of here right now."