Gemotions

The cafe was filled with the aroma of coffee and the murmur of conversations, but the sounds only grated on her nerves. She kept her eyes glued to the newspaper, her fingers tracing the words. *One in a million*. The doctor's diagnosis was a constant, unwelcome presence.

She was aware of the other patrons, their mundane conversations, their careless smiles. Every one of them was a potential threat. Every one of them could know. She felt a burning need to disappear.

Then she saw them. Across the room. The same twitch. The same nervous energy. The same look in their eyes. She wanted to run. She wanted to scream. But she was trapped. She felt paralyzed.