Gemotions

She woke with a start, the insistent ringing of her phone pulling her from a restless sleep. She fumbled for the device, her fingers clumsy. The sun was a hateful intruder through the blinds. “What?” she barked into the receiver, her voice thick with sleep and an immediate sense of annoyance. It was the tow company.

“Your vehicle…?” the robotic voice of the dispatcher began. She cut him off. “Yes, yes, I know. Is it at the impound lot? Fine. I’ll be there. What did it cost?” Her shoulders slumped as she listened to the fees. It felt like someone had punched her in the gut.

She dressed with unusual abruptness, pulling her favorite sweater on inside out. The world felt deliberately designed to irritate her.