Gemotions

The humidity of the Florida air seemed to close in around Ethan. He sat on the porch, a cold drink in his hand, the sun warm on his face, but his insides were ice. It was like his life had become a public spectacle, his adolescence laid bare for all to see.

The entries. The drawings. The private jokes. All now available to anyone with an internet connection. He felt a pressure in his skull, like a tightening vise. He needed air, needed to get away, but his feet felt stuck to the porch.

He imagined his childhood friends reading it, his family. The thought was unbearable. He took a long, slow swallow of his drink, the taste lost on his tongue. He was adrift, disoriented.