Gemotions

The paper crackled in Amelia's trembling hands. It wasn't the sound that set her teeth on edge; it was the stark, black print. Eviction. Her stomach churned, a cold fist clenching and releasing. She sank onto the threadbare couch, the springs protesting with a mournful groan. She ripped the notice in half, then again, and again, the pieces scattering across the chipped coffee table like fallen leaves. Her breathing hitched, shallow and ragged. Why? What had she done wrong? She pressed her palms to her eyes, hard, as if trying to push away the encroaching dread. The silence in the apartment was suddenly deafening.