Gemotions

The drilling had started again. Charles, who'd been happily reading in his armchair, slammed the book shut, the sound a sharp crack in the sudden quiet. The Smiths were putting in a home theater, complete with soundproofing. The walls next door had already gone up. The hammering. The noise.

He rose from his chair, a surge of restlessness seizing him. He felt suddenly claustrophobic in his own home. He began to pace, his hands clenched at his sides. He needed to get out, away from the constant noise, the relentless competition. He grabbed his coat, and left, without saying where he was going.