Gemotions

The afternoon light bled through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. She'd been about to make tea. Then, the grinding. Her heart gave a sudden, erratic thump. She peered through the blinds, her breath catching. A red truck. A winch. Her car.

Her hands flew to her mouth. She couldn't breathe. What on earth...? The blood seemed to drain from her face, leaving a prickling cold. She pushed the door open, practically stumbling onto the porch.

"Wait!" The word escaped her lips, small and lost in the sudden quiet. She took a step, another, the air thick and heavy around her. Her chest felt constricted, and a wave of heat washed over her.

She had to stop them. But the words wouldn't come. She swallowed, trying to force them out, but a strange pressure built behind her eyes.