Gemotions

Her vision blurred. "Just a small area, just for a little while," the neighbor, Ms. Chen, had said, her voice warm and welcoming. But the "small area" in her mind had already become a vast and unruly landscape. Her throat closed up, and it became hard for her to swallow. The perfectly manicured lawn, the symbol of her control, seemed to be crumbling before her eyes.

"I... I can't," she managed, her voice cracking. Her face flushed, her hands started to shake. She imagined the noise, the smells, the invasion. It was all too much.

She stumbled inside, needing to be alone. She locked the door, and then she locked every window. She felt like she was being hunted, that danger was closing in.