Gemotions

The bustling train station amplified every noise, creating a symphony of jarring sounds. The announcements, the hurried footsteps, the screech of metal on metal all became background to the sudden feeling of isolation. John had seen him, Ethan, across the crowded platform. The old familiar face.

He'd approached, a smile plastered on his face. "Ethan! Remember me? John?" Ethan had squinted, peering at him with a puzzled frown. "I'm sorry, no. Should I?" And then he'd moved on, swallowed by the crowd.

John stood frozen, the noise of the station now a deafening roar. The world seemed to tilt slightly, a dizzying sensation of being utterly alone in a sea of faces. He felt the weight of the years, the unspoken history, the shared dreams that now meant nothing.