Gemotions

The offer was simple: a small corner for a small garden. The words hung in the air, weighted with unspoken intent. The neighbor's smile seemed to shift, to morph into something unfamiliar.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He couldn't trust this. He couldn't trust anything. He looked at the neighbor, who looked back with an innocent look.

He mumbled something unintelligible, and then ran back to his house. He locked every door and window, barricading himself inside. He switched off all the lights.

He waited, listening to the silence, his body stiff with tension. He was certain this was all a trick. He knew it in his bones.