Gemotions

The air shimmered with the heat of the afternoon. He was inside, scrolling through his phone, when a knock on the door jolted him. He opened it to find a beaming Ms. Rodriguez. He didn’t particularly care for her, the way she was always humming and smiling.

The woman presented her plan: a small garden to grow herbs. He thought of her overflowing garden next door. He felt a deep, unfamiliar sense of unease. He felt the muscles in his jaw tense.

He cleared his throat. "I’m very particular about my lawn," he said, his voice flat. He felt a strange satisfaction as the woman's smile wavered. The sun felt even hotter, beating down on him. He knew he'd won.