Stepping out of her apartment building, Jane couldn’t help but shudder. There were more people on the sidewalk than she had anticipated.
Turning her gaze down to the pavement, she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and walked toward the park
Shit, I knew it. It’s a bad idea.
Should I just go back?
Why are they staring at me?
Did I wear something wrong?
Is there something wrong with me?
Is my zipper down?
The thoughts raced through Jane’s mind as she walked towards the park. Despite her apprehension, she was determined to go through with her plan to spend the afternoon there.
She kept repeating “Everything is okay” in her head as a mantra.
By the time she arrived at the park, her heart rate had slowed down, and she felt calmer.
But that quickly changed as she heard a sudden burst of loud laughter. She looked up and saw a group of rowdy teenagers walking towards her.
Are they laughing at me?
What’s wrong with me?
No, no, no. Everything is okay. I am okay. Just keep walking.
With her anxiety calming down, she took a deep breath and started walking towards them. As the group approached, Jane could feel their eyes on her, and she braced herself for the worst.
But to her surprise, the group simply walked past her, paying her no mind. Jane let out a sigh of relief and continued walking.
As she walked deeper into the park, Jane found herself becoming more and more relaxed. She listened to the sounds of children playing and birds chirping, taking in the peaceful surroundings. She even found herself smiling as she saw a group of people playing frisbee in the distance.
Maybe, it wasn’t such a bad idea.
Written in response to the Microcosm writing prompt: Naked Characters
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