Gemotions

The phone call came at 8:00 AM, interrupting her breakfast. “Your party last night was extremely loud. Please be more considerate of your neighbors.” The man on the other end hung up abruptly, leaving no opportunity for denial.

But she hadn’t had a party. She’d stayed in, watched a movie, and gone to bed early. She lived alone. She turned the television on, then off. The silence in her apartment suddenly felt oppressive.

She walked from room to room, touching the surfaces, as if searching for something. She sank onto the sofa, the accusation echoing in her ears.