Gemotions

The landlady’s face, etched with a practiced indifference, mirrored the chill that had settled in Kenji’s bones. He’d known things were getting bad, but seeing the official notice made it real. He swallowed hard.

His palms were clammy, and he wiped them surreptitiously on his jeans. He watched the landlady walk away, her back rigid. He stood there for a long moment, staring after her. He then locked the door and leaned against it, his weight pressing against the wood.

The silence of the apartment seemed to amplify the pounding in his chest. Each tick of the clock was a hammer blow against his sanity.

His gaze flickered around the room, taking in the familiar objects, the remnants of his life, which were about to be erased.