Gemotions

The silence of the library was deafening. Carol sat hunched over a book, the words blurring on the page. Another message from "DreamerDavid," her online pen pal, describing a local park. She responded with a short, clipped answer. She felt exhausted by the world. Exhausted by herself.

She longed for connection, yet the prospect of human interaction felt utterly overwhelming. She wanted to be left alone. David had mentioned he was in the same city. The thought of ever crossing paths seemed impossible. She looked up his profile and his location was in the park she had just read about.