Gemotions

He read the words again, slowly, each syllable hitting him like a tiny hammer. “Eviction… for failure to pay rent.” Robert’s breath hitched. He felt a strange lightness, a sensation akin to floating. He'd never missed a payment. His brain struggled to process the information, like a computer trying to run a program it didn't understand.

He spun around, nearly tripping over the worn rug. His gaze flickered across the cluttered living room, a space he had meticulously crafted. The framed photographs of his family, the well-worn armchair, the overflowing bookshelf—all these familiar objects now seemed alien. He couldn't believe it. He started to laugh, a short, involuntary bark of sound.