Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the freshly painted siding were a slap in the face. Margaret, staring out of her window, felt a sudden, sharp ache. Her neighbour, Mrs. Olsen, had always been so bright, so cheerful. Now, the energy in her home felt like a rebuke. She’d tried to write, but the words wouldn’t come.

She felt a sense of inadequacy bloom in her chest. She found herself checking the time, counting the minutes until the workers would leave. The air felt suffocating, and the silence, when it finally came, felt even worse. She kept thinking she should be doing something, but she couldn’t even get out of her chair.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the garden. She closed the curtains, a thin, flimsy barrier against the world.