Gemotions

The jackhammer was the tipping point. David was in the middle of a complex spreadsheet, lost in numbers, when the ground began to shake. He looked up, confused, the cursor on his screen frozen. He could feel it in his teeth. A deep rumble. Then, an insistent, violent hammering. His neighbor, Frank, was at it again.

He went to the door and opened it, wanting to shout, but the words wouldn't come. Frank, a man usually seen tending his roses, was now operating heavy machinery. The dust billowed around him, obscuring his face. David just stood in the doorway, the world tilting slightly.

He closed the door, slowly, and went back to his desk. He stared at the screen, the numbers blurring, and the only sound was the incessant cacophony from next door. He couldn’t seem to concentrate.