Gemotions

"Good morning!" Mark called, his voice too loud, too cheerful. He was leaning over the fence, a grin plastered on his face. He'd been that way ever since the demolition started next door.

Sarah just nodded, avoiding his gaze. The dust had already started to settle on her washing line. Each morning she now had to shake out all her clothes. She felt a surge of… something. Frustration, perhaps.

She retreated back into her kitchen, the cheerful chatter of the builders mingling with the sizzle of bacon. Her appetite had vanished. She ran the tap, a dull ache thrumming in her temples. The endless chatter had started to get on her nerves. The air felt thick, heavy.

She found herself staring at the untouched crossword puzzle in her newspaper, the words blurring before her eyes. The house felt empty, too quiet now that the silence had been broken by the constant cacophony.