Gemotions

A leaden weight settled in her limbs. She was trying, really trying, to stay focused on the crossword puzzle, but the letters swam before her eyes. A gentle rap at the window startled her. It was Mr. Abernathy, his hand raised in greeting.

She sighed inwardly.

He gestured towards the door. “Can I speak with you for a moment?”

She slowly rose, each movement requiring monumental effort.

Outside, the sun was bright, almost painfully so. He spoke, a flurry of words about a community garden and a plot of land that might be available for him to use.

She wanted to return inside, to sink back into the quiet darkness of the house. “Yeah,” she said, her voice sluggish. “Okay.”