Gemotions

"Oh, no," mumbled Emily, her voice barely a whisper as she read the letter. Her palms grew damp. A fence. Right there, separating them. It wasn't the practicality of it, not really. It was something else.

She began double-checking everything. The deadbolt, the windows, the alarm system. She found herself whispering as she spoke, keeping her voice low. Her breaths grew shallow, and she caught herself looking over her shoulder.

She had always loved her backyard, the open expanse of grass and the old oak tree. Now, she felt a constriction, a feeling of being hemmed in, watching the world from behind bars.