Gemotions

She was in the middle of preparing dinner, humming along to the radio, when the knock came. It was her neighbor, Sarah, and from the look on her face, something was amiss.

“I… I was hoping we could discuss the birch,” Sarah began, her voice hesitant. The knife in her hand slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the counter.

Her breath hitched. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words emerged. It was as if her vocal cords had suddenly seized up.

Sarah kept talking, explaining about sunlight and the fence. She watched Sarah's lips move, but the words seemed to bounce off her, leaving no impression.