Gemotions

The world seemed to shrink around Sarah. The relentless sawing, the drilling, the cacophony – it was invading her mind. She clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms. Her head throbbed. This had been going on for *weeks*.

She’d baked a cake yesterday – a lemon drizzle, the kind she always made when she needed a little comfort. She had eaten the entire thing in one sitting, crumbs dusting her clothes.

She was pacing now. Each footfall was heavy, echoing in the too-quiet house. She glared at the wall dividing her property from the construction site, imagining the careless neighbor, indifferent to the chaos he was causing. The anger was a knot in her stomach, a burning ember that refused to be extinguished.