Gemotions

He was driving home from work when the news broke. A local news website had picked up on the story. The headline, "Small Town Boy's Secrets Revealed," was enough. His stomach churned. He pulled over to the side of the road, the car's engine idling.

He didn’t turn the key. He looked at the dashboard. He saw a message. He checked it. They'd found his diary, the one filled with fantasies of escape and longing. He closed his eyes. The world outside, the passing cars, the setting sun, seemed distant, unreal. He waited to hear what would happen next.

He finally started the car again and drove home, the drive taking longer than usual. The silence in the car was overwhelming.

When he arrived home, he saw his wife. She was already reading. He didn’t say anything. She didn’t say anything either. He went to the kitchen and got a glass of water.