Gemotions

Liam sat on the park bench, the book resting heavily in his lap. He looked at the sky and then back down at the book. His hands were shaking. He felt his mouth go dry, the dryness spreading down his throat.

He had always been careful, private. The world felt like it was closing in, squeezing the air from his lungs. The author had included details he'd confided to only a handful of people, intimate moments now splashed across the pages for anyone to read.

He closed his eyes. He imagined the author smiling as they wrote it all down. His face flushed with a mixture of anger and humiliation. He stood, his legs feeling unsteady. He walked away from the book, leaving it behind. He had to put some distance between himself and this... this thing.