Gemotions

"Impossible," murmured Alex, his voice barely a whisper. The words of the notice seemed to vibrate in the air around him. The room began to spin. He felt a tightness in his throat, making it difficult to swallow. He swallowed hard.

He stood frozen, rooted to the spot, as if paralyzed by the shocking words. A cold sweat erupted across his forehead. He felt the blood drain from his face, leaving him pale and weak. The apartment, his sanctuary, now felt like a prison.

He dropped the notice onto the table. It seemed to expand and grow, to fill the room with an unspoken dread. He could not think. He felt a desperate urge to run, to escape the suffocating reality that was closing in around him. He ran a hand over his face.