Gemotions

The dog whined, pacing back and forth, ears pinned to its head. He'd picked up on her mood, she knew. The incessant banging, the screech of metal, had both of them on edge. She hadn’t taken him for a walk in days, too wary of encountering the workmen.

She kept the blinds drawn, cocooning herself in a manufactured darkness. The noise seemed to amplify inside the house, each blow a personal affront. She'd begun to jump at the slightest sound, a sudden creak, a distant siren.

She found herself checking the locks on the doors repeatedly, a habit she'd never had before. She considered leaving, packing a bag and simply escaping. But where would she go? What if the noise followed her? She leaned against the door, listening to the pounding next door.