Gemotions

The envelope was plain, unremarkable, yet it felt as heavy as a brick in Maya's hand. She ripped it open, her fingers fumbling with the paper. Reading the words, the blood seemed to drain from her face. Her vision swam. The air thickened in her lungs.

She imagined herself out on the street, her few possessions piled on the curb. Where would she go? What would she do? A sob escaped her, tight and strangled. She felt the sudden urge to hide, to disappear.

She spun around, her gaze darting around the small apartment, searching for an answer. She noticed dust motes dancing in the sunlight streaming through the window, suddenly feeling the weight of the months of deferred cleaning. She felt a burning in her eyes, tears threatening to spill.