Gemotions

I felt a cold dread settle in my bones whenever I saw the tell-tale signs: the blurry shape leaping over the fence, the sudden silence, the growing mess. It was like a looming threat, always just beyond the horizon.

I stopped enjoying my mornings. The pleasure I used to get from tending my garden was gone. The simple act of watering plants now felt like a chore, a test.

I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. I felt as though a great weight had settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I was slowly being squeezed, bit by bit.

I started to withdraw. I had to, for my own sanity.