Gemotions

He hadn't been to the grocery store in weeks. Now, he was dreading the inevitable encounter with Mrs. Miller, who was organizing the project. He knew what she would think. He knew what the neighbors thought.

The thought of walking into the community garden, the shared space, filled him with a potent sense of failure. He couldn't face the other gardeners, the ones who took such pride in their plots. He felt his face heat up. He had let everyone down.

He watched the fence go up from his bedroom window, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words wouldn't come. He covered his face with his hands and just waited, paralyzed by the feeling.