Gemotions

The silence of the afternoon was shattered by a hammering. He peered out from the kitchen, heart hammering. It was Mr. Collins, his neighbor, hammering a stake into the ground near the shared fence.

She felt a rush of heat and a sudden desire to hide. She debated pretending not to be home. The way he moved, his jerky, purposeful actions, sent a current of anxiety through her.

Finally, she took a deep, shuddering breath and walked outside. "Everything alright?" she managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper. Mr. Collins didn't look up, his back turned, the hammering continuing its insistent rhythm.