A tremor ran through David's hands as he gripped the steering wheel. His sister, Sarah, had called him earlier, her voice bubbling with excitement. She was now a devotee of Hare Krishna. He'd agreed to meet her for coffee, but now he wished he hadn't. The city streets blurred into a meaningless rush of color, mirroring the chaos inside him.
He arrived at the cafe, its aroma of roasted coffee beans usually a comfort, now felt like a foreign language. Sarah was already there, beaming, her head shaved and her saffron robes catching the late afternoon sun. He forced a smile as he approached, but the muscles in his face felt stiff.
"This is amazing, David!" she enthused, gesturing to the chanting music playing faintly in the background. He just nodded, his gaze darting around, searching for an escape route, a way to rewind the last hour.
She launched into a passionate explanation of her new beliefs, her eyes shining with fervor. He found himself nodding along, agreeing to things he didn’t understand, just to make the conversation stop. He felt a deep, instinctive resistance to this new version of his sister. He wanted to scream.
He excused himself, promising to read the literature she’d given him. As he walked away, he noticed a sharp pain in his chest, as if his ribs were closing in.