Gemotions

The morning sun, usually a source of pleasure, felt like a spotlight on her misfortune. Emily squinted, her vision momentarily blurred by the sudden shock. Her car was missing. Simply gone. She scanned the empty space repeatedly, as if willing it to reappear.

A coldness settled in her stomach. She’d spent all of yesterday detailing it, waxing it until it gleamed. Now, nothing. Just asphalt. She imagined the bureaucratic nightmare ahead, the phone calls, the paperwork, the sheer inconvenience of it all.

Her hand flew to her hair, pulling at the strands. She imagined the smug face of the HOA president, who she suspected of being behind this. The woman, with her perfectly coiffed hair and her unwavering dedication to petty rules.