Gemotions

"More coffee?" the barista asked, her voice a soothing balm against the chaos. Sarah shook her head, unable to speak. The renovations next door had transformed her cozy apartment into an echo chamber of relentless percussion.

Her breath hitched in her chest. The cafe, usually a refuge, felt too small, too close. She imagined the walls of her apartment collapsing inward, crushing her under the weight of the debris. She craved open spaces, vastness.

She pushed her chair back, the screech of it against the floor amplifying the sense of confinement. Her flight response was on high alert. Escape was the only thing that mattered.