Gemotions

The grocery store felt overly bright, the fluorescent lights humming overhead. Olivia’s hand trembled slightly as she reached for a carton of milk. Then, she saw it. A notification. "Brian Harris wants to be your friend." She almost dropped the milk.

Her breath caught in her throat. She gripped the carton tighter, her knuckles turning white. The once familiar and mundane task of grocery shopping had become a complex and overwhelming undertaking. She felt the sudden urge to run, to flee the store and its fluorescent lights, to escape the weight of the past.

She felt a tingling sensation in her fingers and toes. She put the milk back. She needed to think. She needed air. The simple task of choosing milk had become an impossible mission. The store, with its packed aisles and endless choices, felt suddenly oppressive.