Gemotions

The children were outside, playing in the shared yard. She watched them from the kitchen window, her heart rate picking up. The thought of them playing behind a fence, separated from their friends, felt heavy. A wave of unease crashed over her. She knew a fence meant less space, less freedom, and a new kind of confinement.

Her fingers instinctively tightened around her coffee mug. She pictured the wooden planks, blocking the sun, casting shadows. She had to talk to someone, she thought, she needed to understand what this meant for them. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread.