Gemotions

The new sounds were a constant intrusion. I couldn't sleep. Every bang, every saw's scream echoed in my head. I started keeping the lights on at all times, even in the daytime.

My hands shook so badly that I dropped a plate this morning. The noise had been especially loud just before. I tried to clean up the pieces, but the sharp edges seemed to beckon me, inviting a kind of surrender.

I stayed locked in my bedroom for most of the day. The muffled sounds of the renovations bled through the walls, a constant, low-grade hum of dread that settled deep in my chest.