Alone

I am alone.

There is no one in the crowds around me. As I stand here, my gaze trails over them and I know. Their sounds and touches, everything about them, is not there. They are not there and I am alone.

My breathing is slow, every breath easing through my lips, hoping I do not give myself away. Though trying to stay calm, the beating is fast, almost painful, in my chest. My face shows none of that, with dead eyes and relaxed muscles.

The noise is overwhelming, a constant barrage of clicks interspersed with heavy thuds. Graceful steps cannot eliminate the first contact, not while keeping up a human-like walking speed. Missteps reveal the weight behind every foot.

I have to suppress the urge to gag, acidic fumes playing across my tongue. The taste is overwhelming, like electrical currents that burn my taste buds. There is no end to this. Time does not weaken the reaction.

They move as though dancing, each and every as though playing their part. Bumps do not happen, not unless they trip or skid first.

There is no one in the crowds around me. Their sounds and touches, everything about them, is not there. They are not there and I am alone.

I am alone.