Gemotions

The dog's barks, usually a cheerful cacophony, now felt different. The note had said, “Control your animal. The noise is bothersome.” The note was left by a neighbor, scrawled on a yellow sticky note.

Sarah felt a tightening in her chest. She glanced at her dog, a golden retriever, curled on the rug. The dog's playful barks now sounded like a direct assault on the silence, a declaration of war.

She forced a smile, but it felt stiff. She kept the dog's leash on, even inside. She imagined other people listening, annoyed. Every little whimper, every happy yap, seemed laced with guilt.