Gemotions

"Just saw your profile pic and thought it was familiar. Pretty sure I saw you at the bookstore on Elm Street yesterday!" Daniel's fingers fumbled as he typed a reply. He couldn't seem to form a coherent response. He swallowed hard, a lump forming in his throat.

The bookstore. The one he frequented. He recalled the specific section, the book he had been browsing. He wanted to throw his phone across the room. He felt a sudden, urgent need to be invisible. He pulled the curtains shut, plunging the room into shadow.

He checked the locks on the doors and windows, over and over, as if those physical barriers could somehow keep the feeling away. He paced, restless and agitated, until he was exhausted.