Gemotions

The afternoon sun, a molten weight on Elara's eyelids, made focusing on the crossword puzzle an impossible feat. Her pen kept drifting, leaving smudges of ink where answers should be. A low bark, followed by the familiar clatter of paws against the fence, barely registered. Again? That scruffy terrier from next door. She sighed, the sound heavy and drawn out. Her head slumped against the porch chair, her mind a fog.

Dragging herself upright, she shuffled towards the back door. Her joints felt stiff, as if they were rusty hinges in an old gate. The screen door creaked in protest as she pushed it open. "Rover!" she called, her voice thick with disuse, the words slurring slightly.

He was already halfway across her lawn, sniffing intently at the rose bushes. The thought of chasing him felt utterly draining. With a monumental effort, she managed to shuffle down the steps, her feet barely lifting from the ground. "Rover, come!" she mumbled, hoping he'd just obey.