Separated

A person with a differently wired brain than most people navigates through crowds while vacationing with friends.

Clear sunny sky with a chilly breeze swinging the trees around. It was the perfect day to be outside watching the most furious waterfall she’d ever seen, if there weren’t hundreds of other people doing the same that is.

 

Anne had to squeeze through every empty space she could find in between the endless swarm of people she was around. She was doing a great job at avoiding touching them, perks of being such a small person. Her short hair didn’t get in the way either, not like it used to, she was grateful for that. As long as her friends were around, she had no worries.

 

They all took pictures and videos of the waterfall before them, until eventually they didn’t want to keep watching it anymore and it was time to go. Again, she turned and squeezed, following her friends wherever they were going next; the waterfall was too loud for her to hear the plan, and adding hundreds of voices to that, she just gave up on trying to hear them, but she knew she could trust them, so she followed.

 

Finally, they got to a less populated area and Anne could easily breathe for the first time in hours. It was beautiful too, with water fountains in every corner, statues resembling anything from angels to animals, it was fascinating. She didn’t care for taking pictures of each of them; instead, she looked at them thoroughly and imprinted an image of each in her brain, never to forget it. Once she got home, she’d draw all of them and show her friends proudly.

 

Her eyes fixed in one fountain with the shape of a turtle spurting water through its nose. It had such detail that she couldn’t process them all from afar, so she got close enough until she could see it all. The back of it was covered in moss, they got the texture perfectly, though it was all dark gray. She examined the patterns, the detailed feet, every wrinkle on its neck, the brightness in its eyes, everything.

 

Once she snapped out of it, she turned around and her heart started racing at outrageous speed. There were only a few people around a moment ago, but now she was surrounded by hundreds of people again, talking, laughing, eating, coughing, taking pictures a dozen at a time. All sounds hit her at once.

 

Heart turned into a knot, she hyperventilated, unable to grasp the air surrounding her. No thought could go through her brain, or maybe there were so many she couldn’t keep up with them. She searched and searched all around for her friends, but her eye sight got blurrier and blurrier by the second, unable to recognize anything around her.

 

She wanted to scream, but she knew not to. She pressed her eyes hard and reached for the smooth stone in her pocket, her thumb feeling each side of it. Her other hand turned into a fist, with her slightly grown fingernails carving her skin until it turned red and blood threatened to come out, but she didn’t feel any of it.

 

Too many sounds, but she knew some unknown voices were getting too close, she couldn’t make out what they said, not that she cared. She just wanted it to go away, she wanted everything to go away.

 

She felt someone pressing her shoulder and she jumped, her bones disintegrating to nothing and then going back to their normal state. She opened her eyes and saw her friend. She knew everything would be okay, eventually.

 

Reviews

[CRISHAM]

"This story beautifully captures the sensory overload of crowded spaces through Anne's perspective. The vivid descriptions, especially of the waterfall and the turtle fountain, create a strong visual experience that immerses the reader in the setting. I appreciate how you portrayed Anne's anxiety in such a relatable way, allowing us to feel her overwhelming emotions. The moment when she finds her friend brings a comforting resolution, reminding us of the importance of connection in chaotic times. Overall, it's a well-crafted piece that resonates on multiple levels."

[MelGo30~]

Thank you so much for your comment about this piece! It's one of my favorites because of how relatable it can be, or educational for those who don't have these type of experiences.