Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of my apartment, mirroring the tempest inside me. I’d spent weeks cultivating a friendship with this digital ghost, “ShadowLord666,” who agreed with me on everything. Now, the bastard lived down the street. The thought alone was enough to make my fingernails dig into my palms. We’d planned to meet at the library, ostensibly to discuss “rare occult texts.”

I pulled on my worn leather jacket, the familiar weight offering a small comfort. Walking to the library, I purposely stepped on every crack in the sidewalk. The world seemed dull, gray, and irritatingly optimistic. Each smiling face I passed was a personal affront.

Inside the library, the quiet was a tangible thing, suffocating. He was already there, hunched over a table, looking like a lost puppy. He glanced up, his face breaking into a wide, idiotic grin. I forced my lips into a thin line, and made for the table.