Gemotions

The children's laughter was always a welcome sound, but today, it felt different. It was the same joyful squeals, but now Sarah found them grating on her nerves. The neighbor’s kids were out in the yard, and it felt like they were getting louder.

She glanced out the window, her hands clenched. Her chest felt heavy, and she could barely swallow. Her fingers started tracing the contours of the windowsill. It wasn't the children's fault, of course.

She closed the blinds, the sudden darkness a physical relief. She sat, still and silent, listening to the muffled sounds. Every giggle was a tiny stab of panic. She could not stop the anxiety that pulsed in her veins.