Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mimicking the frantic drumming in Amelia's chest. She’d gone inside for a mere five minutes to grab her phone. Now, the space where her battered sedan had been was a gaping void. A yellow sticker, mocking and accusatory, clung to the spot where the tires had been. Her jaw clenched, muscles seizing as she re-read the notice. Illegally parked. Her own driveway. The injustice of it sent a cold spike through her.

She ripped the paper off, crumpling it into a tight ball. Her hands shook, making it almost impossible to dial the towing company’s number. Each ring of the phone felt like a hammer blow against her skull. The automated voice informed her of the exorbitant fees, the location of her car, the relentless churn of the system.

She let out a choked sound, a desperate, animalistic whimper, as she dropped the phone. The world felt suddenly blurred at the edges, the familiar lines of her house seemed to waver, and the weight of everything settled upon her.