Gemotions

She sat on the floor, legs drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them. The building manager had delivered the news face-to-face, a smile plastered on his face. She couldn’t bring herself to return the smile. Her heart pounded in her ears.

The sounds of the city, the distant sirens, the chattering voices, now grated on her nerves. She felt exposed, vulnerable. She was so close to where she wanted to be, only to have it ripped away.

She closed her eyes, picturing the familiar view from her window, the rooftop garden she helped tend. All of it now felt temporary, fragile, like a dream that was about to disappear.