My special Sense (COMPLETED)

Chapter 11 - Sensory overload

Jared was walking through a crowded shopping center when he suddenly felt overwhelmed. The noise of the people talking, the bright lights, and the strong smells of the food court were all too much for him to handle.

He tried to keep walking, but his body felt like it was shutting down. His heart was racing, his breathing was shallow, and his hands were shaking.

Jared knew that he was experiencing a sensory overload, and he needed to find a way to calm himself down. He looked around and saw a quiet corner of the shopping center, away from the crowds and the noise.

He walked over to the corner and sat down on the floor, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. He tried to focus on his breathing, but the noise of the people talking and the music playing in the background made it hard to concentrate.

He put his hands over his ears, trying to block out the noise, but it didn't help. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of sensory input, and he didn't know how to escape.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw a woman kneeling beside him, looking at him with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Jared shook his head, unable to speak. He felt like he was trapped in his own body, unable to communicate with the outside world.

The woman looked around and saw that Jared was in a quiet corner of the shopping center. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of noise-canceling headphones, handing them to Jared.

"Here, try these," she said. "They might help."

Jared put on the headphones and felt a sense of relief as the noise around him faded away. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, feeling his body start to relax.

After a few minutes, Jared opened his eyes and looked at the woman. He felt a sense of gratitude towards her, and he wished that he could thank her properly.

"Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The woman smiled at him. "No problem," she said. "I have a son with autism, so I understand what you're going through."

Jared felt a sense of connection to the woman, knowing that she had been through similar experiences. He felt like he wasn't alone in his struggle with sensory overload, and that there were people out there who understood what he was going through.