Gemotions

The tiny, cramped hallway amplified the metallic clang of the elevator as it jerked to a stop on his floor. Another day, another round of frustration. He kicked at a stray piece of debris that had somehow lodged near his apartment door. The nerve.

He felt the muscles in his jaw clench, a constant tension that seemed to be a fixture in his daily life. His apartment building was going condo. He’d known it was coming, but that didn’t make it easier to digest.

He unlocked his door, the key scraping in the lock. The smell of stale air and something vaguely floral, emanating from the neighbor's apartment, assaulted his nostrils. He just wanted to be left alone.