Gemotions

The envelope felt heavy, thicker than a regular card. Emily opened it with trembling fingers, the paper tearing slightly. Inside was a card, with a cartoon cat wearing a party hat. “Have a purr-fect birthday!” it declared. No signature. She stared at it, her chest feeling tight. The air in her apartment felt suddenly thin, hard to breathe.

She usually loved her apartment, a haven of peace and order. Now, the walls seemed to close in. The cheerful yellow paint on the walls mocked her. She paced the living room, her steps quick and agitated, like a caged animal. Every creak of the floorboards, every distant siren, sent a jolt of alarm through her.

She sat on the floor, cross-legged, the card clutched in her hand. A wave of nausea washed over her. She felt completely, utterly alone.