Embarrassment/1

There's nothing as embarrassing as embarrassment itself. Being embarrassed can be quite humiliating, your body flooding itself with visual clues of discomfort at the very time when everyone is looking at you with disapproval. Red cheeks and burning ears, sweat gathering at your forehead and armpits, your hands shaking and your voice faltering. Your mouth dry and your palms wet and your bowels clenched tight. Sid knew the feeling well, but that didn't seem to make it easier.

The worst bit was that he couldn't go anywhere. He was stuck there unable to escape from gaping mouths and eyes. Instinct told him to run away and bury his head in the sand. Physics told him he would have to get his head out from between the stair railings first.