Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the chaotic percussion next door. David sat hunched in his armchair, clutching a mug of lukewarm coffee. The rhythmic thudding from the neighbouring house was like a monstrous heartbeat, a rhythm which invaded his space. It seemed to amplify the already pounding in his ears.

He glanced at his computer screen, the unfinished manuscript mocking his paralysis. He’d barely written a word all week. Every splintering crack of wood and clang of metal seemed to steal another iota of his focus. He found himself picking at the skin around his thumbnails, his gaze darting to the window every few seconds.

The feeling in his chest intensified. He had to get out, he reasoned, though the thought of facing the world outside – the world *and* the renovations – filled him with trepidation. He rose slowly, the mug sloshing slightly in his trembling hands.