Gemotions

Maria stared at the eviction notice, the stark black ink a death knell to her fragile peace. The weight of her circumstances pressed upon her, rendering her immobile. The fear, the sheer panic, clawed at her insides. A new text: “Hey Maria! You up?” It was Ben, her online friend, a voice of stability in her chaotic life.

She needed to vent, to scream, to unload. So, she typed, "I'm falling apart." She let the words flow. She needed him.

His reply, a shock, came in seconds: "There's a great bakery a few blocks from you. Wanna meet up? The best coffee." The bakery. The corner shop. He knew? She felt a dizzying wave of disorientation. She typed back, her fingers trembling, "I need to get out of here, right now.”