Gemotions

The rhythmic thump of a basketball against the pavement was the only sound besides the dog's enthusiastic yelps. The noise was starting to get to her. She rested her chin on her hand, watching the little boy next door chasing after Gus, who was joyfully tearing around her yard. She hadn't been this still in days.

She thought of her own childhood, filled with scrapes and bruises and the sweet taste of summer. It seemed so long ago. The dog’s antics, and the boy's laughter, felt like a distant echo of a life she couldn't quite reach.

She stretched out her legs, a dull ache spreading through her muscles. She felt a knot forming in her stomach, and she couldn't quite decide if it was from the dog, or something else entirely. The sun was going down, and the shadows were getting longer.