Gemotions

The radio blared from the open window. It was a perfect summer day, the sun warm on her skin. Then, the first few notes. Maria's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers instinctively reached for the volume control, but she couldn't bring herself to touch it.

Her hands began to tremble. Her palms felt clammy, her legs felt like jelly. A hot flush spread across her face. The singer’s voice, a polished rendition of her raw emotion, sliced through the air.

She wanted to scream, to smash something, to make it stop. Instead, she just stood there, motionless, the sound a physical weight pressing down on her. The joy of the day was gone, replaced by a deep, suffocating emptiness.