Gemotions

The dogs next door started barking earlier than usual. It was a high, frantic yapping that scraped against Leo's nerves. He hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Now this.

He wandered out onto his porch, squinting against the sun. The fence was nearly complete, a rigid line cutting through the familiar landscape. He felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of loss, as though something precious had been stolen.

His jaw tightened. He rubbed his arms, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the day. The rhythmic thud of the hammer echoed in his ears, a relentless reminder of the change that had descended upon his world.