Gemotions

The article, his essay, was trending on Twitter. Liam saw the notifications blinking at him, a digital tsunami. Each like, each retweet, felt like a tiny pinprick against his already raw skin. He buried his face in his hands, the rough texture of his palms a small comfort. It was all there, the grief, the hope, the desperation. And now, everyone knew.

He stared at the blank walls of his apartment. They seemed to press in on him, the silence amplifying the turmoil inside. His breath came in ragged gasps. He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something. He wanted to vanish.

He felt a pull in his chest, a deep wrenching. He picked up his phone, stared at it, and threw it against the wall. He wanted to destroy everything that connected him to the world.