Gemotions

The man’s request caught Michael off guard. A shared garden? His carefully curated world was shattering. He took a step back, the abrupt motion jostling the watering can in his hand, sloshing water onto the neatly trimmed grass.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. He didn’t want… anyone. Not near his house. Not in his life. He felt trapped, his breath shallow and quick.

“I… I’ll think about it,” he finally managed, his voice barely audible. The man’s persistent smile, the way his eyes lingered on the toolshed, made his skin crawl. He watched him walk away, feeling a weight lift slightly, only to be replaced by a profound and unsettling unease.