Gemotions

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the driveway. Sarah clutched her keys so tightly they were digging into her palm. The space where her Corolla usually sat was vacant, a gaping hole in the familiar. A cold trickle snaked down her spine. Her breath hitched. She scanned the street, then the surrounding houses, as if expecting an immediate threat. Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

A wave of dizziness washed over her. She stumbled back towards the porch, her legs suddenly heavy. The only sound was the rustle of leaves in the wind, a sound that now seemed sinister. Her gaze darted from side to side, as if expecting someone to leap out from behind a bush.