Gemotions

"No," whispered Liam, staring at the notification. "No, no, no." A fence. Along the property line. His hands tightened around his coffee mug, knuckles turning white.

He'd loved the way the yards blended together, allowing the children to play freely. He enjoyed the open space. The thought of something restricting their movement, that feeling of freedom, twisted something inside him. He felt as if the walls of his house were closing in.

He slowly set down the mug, the ceramic clinking loudly against the countertop. He found himself picking at the skin around his thumbnails, a habit he hadn’t indulged in years. This feeling was a relentless burden.

He had to get out, to escape the suffocating feeling that was rising within him. He grabbed his keys and bolted out the door.