Gemotions

The two of them sat on the porch swing, the rhythmic creak a counterpoint to the chirping crickets. Sarah was recounting the time they'd gone camping, reliving the beauty of the forest and the clear starlit night.

"Remember how free we felt?" she said, her voice light and airy.

Michael felt a knot of dread tighten in his stomach. He remembered the tangled undergrowth, the gnawing anxiety that something was watching. He recalled the constant buzzing, the oppressive dampness of the air, and a growing sense of vulnerability.

Sarah was reminiscing about how they felt connected to nature. She remembered the fire and the songs. He remembered wanting desperately to get away.

He muttered something about needing to go inside to get a blanket and fled. The open porch suddenly felt like a cage.