The Empath

The Empath first appeared in New Worlds Science Fiction (August 1956 issue)

In a world where emotion is usually hidden, controlled, or ignored, one man cannot escape it. He feels everything— every fear, every cruelty, every quiet kindness— absorbing the emotional weight of those around him whether he wants to or not. What others dismiss or conceal becomes, for him, undeniable reality.

As his ability isolates him from ordinary life, it also sharpens his understanding of human nature. The deeper he sees, the harder it becomes to belong. Because once you can feel what people truly are beneath the surface, there’s no returning to illusion.

The Empath is a psychological science fiction novella that explores perception, emotional truth, and the cost of seeing too much in a world that depends on not looking too closely.

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