Fear

 I walked around town this morning. Looking at the plant's the trees and the artwork. I also took the time to look at all the signs in the stores, broadcasting fear at so many different levels. Some require vax passports, all requiring masks. There were a few signs of protest at the mandates, not many though. 

The people too though, so many living in abject fear.. A woman I knew stopped to talk, she stopped suddenly and apologized for not wearing a mask to speak to me. Another, a youngish woman walked past with a hoodie emblazoned with virginity rocks across the front. She scuttled past me like I was a horror. On a quieter street a woman was walking towards me wearing her mask, out of curiosity I cleared my throat, not a full cough. She crossed the street. 

Can't really blame them though, its been over a year now of inescapable fear pushing. Television, radio, newspapers, billboards, stickers on the footpaths. Fear, be afraid, get injected. The times they isolate us and so many stopping every day to listen as they sternly roll out the new numbers.