Gemotions

The email notification pinged, and Carol’s gaze fell, again, upon the screen. Her stomach lurched as she read the subject line: “Suspicious Activity Detected.” Her teen daughter, Emily, had been unusually withdrawn lately, spending hours in her room, a phone permanently glued to her hand. Carol had brushed it off as a teenage phase, but now, a knot of unease tightened in her chest.

She went to the website and entered the information, and then saw it. Another account, another identity. It was a kaleidoscope of photos she’d never seen before, a world of online friends and filtered selfies. Her shoulders slumped. A chill seemed to permeate the room.

Carol felt a deep, abiding sense of isolation. This wasn’t just a secret; it felt like a betrayal. The vibrant colours of the online world seemed to mock her, leaving her feeling utterly out of sync.