Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the feeling in Liam's chest. He stared at the glowing screen, the cheery avatar of "Sunshine_Soul" mocking his downcast mood. Another notification: a new message. Maybe, just maybe, it would be the thing that chased away the gloom. He clicked. It was just a meme. He sighed, the sound lost in the drumming of the storm. He hadn't left his apartment in three days, and the takeout containers were starting to pile up.

Sunshine_Soul had been a lifeline. A friendly voice in a sea of loneliness, a digital confidante. They shared everything - fears, dreams, bad jokes. Now, she was suggesting meeting up. In the city. Liam typed a shaky "Maybe..." then deleted it. He couldn’t. The thought of stepping outside, of seeing another person face-to-face, was utterly exhausting.

The next day, a package arrived: a small, brightly colored box. Inside, a postcard. A picture of a local park. A familiar handwriting. "Meet me here. 2 pm. - Sunshine." He traced the loops of the letters, his stomach flipping. He hadn't felt this... unsettled... in years.