Gemotions

The phone rang, jolting her from a fitful sleep. She snatched it up, instantly on alert. "Hello?" she croaked.

It was the police. The neighbor's dog had been seen in her yard again.

Her breath hitched. A wave of nausea rolled over her. She gripped the phone tighter, her knuckles white. She wanted to scream, to cry, to make it all stop.

She explained what happened, her voice trembling.

When the officer said he'd be right over, she immediately hung up the phone and started locking every window and door, every entryway.