Gemotions

The world felt gray and muted to Oliver. The simplest things felt like an enormous effort. He had been trying to find something to occupy himself, a distraction from the heavy feeling that had settled over him, and he stumbled upon something that shattered him. He saw it on the kitchen table: a printed manuscript, a cover art that had the title "The Painted Cage".

It was his girlfriend, Charlotte’s. Inside, the story was about their life together. It was a bleak portrayal of their relationship, and the character that represented him was deeply flawed and unlikeable. The words struck him like blows, and the air seemed to be sucked from the room. He felt a deep sense of betrayal, like something precious had been stolen.