Gemotions

The silence of the afternoon was shattered. The familiar sound, the hated sound. It felt like a physical blow. Her muscles coiled, ready. Winston, the bane of her existence, was loose.

She was already halfway across the yard, her heart hammering against her ribs, her breath catching in her throat, before she realized she was moving. She felt a kind of urgent focus, like every detail of her surroundings was hyper-clear.

"Oh, no you don't!" she spat, her voice tight and strained. The dog, its tail wagging furiously, was heading straight for her newly planted tulips. She took a deep breath.