Gemotions

The music was a physical assault, a constant drone that grated on Maria’s nerves. She could feel her own teeth clenching against the din. The sound came from the house adjacent, rented by a group of young, energetic men.

She knew they had just moved in, fresh-faced and thrilled to inhabit the new abode.

She trudged across her living room, her steps slow. She reached the door and stepped outside into the evening air. She found herself at the neighbor's door.

She knocked.

A young man opened the door. He had a beer in his hand and a wide grin on his face. "Hey! Come on in, man!"

Maria swallowed and pushed down the rising panic. "I'm Maria, your neighbor. I was wondering if you could turn the music down a little? I can barely think."

The man's smile faded slightly. "Oh, sorry. We didn't realize. We can turn it down."

"Thank you," Maria said, feeling a weight lift. "I appreciate it."