Gemotions

Daniel clutched the worn leather of his notebook, the pen digging into his palm. He needed to be calm. He needed to appear normal. He was not normal, not anymore. He stared at the meeting location on his phone – the local library. They'd chatted about books for months.

He knew every corner of his room, the peeling wallpaper, the dust motes dancing in the sunlight, yet today, it looked all wrong. Each sound made him jump. The walk to the library felt impossibly long.

He entered the quiet space, the scent of old paper and ink a familiar, unwelcome comfort. He saw her, browsing the new releases. His lungs felt restricted. His legs felt like cement. He felt a deep, almost physical, discomfort.