Gemotions

The air in the garage was thick with the scent of sawdust and forgotten projects. Leo stared at the floor, at the dust motes dancing in the single shaft of sunlight. His neighbor, Sarah, was at the door, her usual bright smile slightly dimmed.

"Leo, that old maple… it's blocking my view," she said, her voice hesitant. Her request, however small, felt like a deliberate intrusion. He felt a familiar knot forming in his stomach, a feeling of unease and constriction.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to shout. He wanted to tell her to go away and leave him alone. He wanted to run. But he just took a deep breath, trying to calm the feeling that surged through him. “Sure,” he mumbled, pushing a dusty toolbox. “Do what you need to do.”