Gemotions

The café buzzed with the lunchtime crowd, but Amelia felt utterly isolated. She held the book, *Amelia's Ascent*, like a shield. She didn't understand. She had lived a fairly ordinary life. Why would anyone want to chronicle it? She took a small sip of her lukewarm coffee.

She felt a weight pressing down on her shoulders. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. She felt a sudden need to escape the noise, the chatter, the judgmental eyes of the other patrons.

She closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the quiet solitude of her apartment. She felt a deep ache in her heart. She glanced at the book again. She felt exposed, vulnerable, as though her skin had been peeled away, revealing the tender tissue beneath.