Gemotions

The request hung in the air, a phantom weight pressing down on Clara. Her meticulously planned day, the quiet afternoon spent tending to her prize-winning petunias, shattered. He wanted to... dig. In *her* dirt.

Her mind raced, a chaotic jumble of thoughts and anxieties. She felt a wave of heat wash over her, prickling her skin. The friendly sun seemed to mock her, its warmth suddenly oppressive.

She could only manage a single, wordless blink. Her hands trembled slightly as she brought them up to her chest, as if to ward off a physical threat. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.