Gemotions

The shadows in the hall lengthened, and the request came at precisely the moment, as if in a movie. The world seemed to shrink around Sarah, the air suddenly thick and hard to breathe. Her breath hitched.

Her neighbor, Mr. Harrison, his jovial face now bearing a slight frown, stood on the porch, his hand still raised to knock again. The wind rustled the leaves, a sound that seemed amplified in the sudden quiet of her home.

“Just a small space, really," Mr. Harrison said, his voice dropping slightly. "For a few tomatoes. I was admiring your sunny backyard.” Sarah's hands began to shake almost imperceptibly as she clutched the doorknob.

She found herself unable to meet his gaze, suddenly fascinated by a small crack in the paint on the door frame. The thought of agreeing, the thought of saying *yes*, was a weight on her chest.