Gemotions

"No, no, no," whispered Emily, her voice barely audible. Her teeth clenched. The metallic glint of the sun on the empty space where her SUV had been was a cruel mockery of normalcy. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the stillness.

She gripped her purse so tightly her knuckles whitened. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. The image of the 'No Parking' sign across the street, that she could've sworn she'd seen, flashed in her mind. Had she forgotten? She couldn’t remember.

Her mind raced, conjuring worst-case scenarios. She imagined the expense, the paperwork, the sheer inconvenience. She felt a need to collapse, to simply disappear. This was a nightmare, and she wanted to wake up.