Untouched

Reading was like living.

Only safer.

I could see permutations of human behavior without risking myself.  I could even live lives without needing to worry abou tthe reactions of others.  It was ideal.  I needed the interaction with people in order to learn the correct responses, because God knew my own responses in the "real world" weren't working, but it was almost like laboratory conditions.  I could experience success and catastrophe and simply go on to the next story.  The more I read, the more prepared I'd be for any circumstance.

Untouched by human hands.