Gemotions

The world had narrowed, collapsing inward to this single sheet of paper. *Evicted.* The words seemed to vibrate in the air, a physical pressure against her skin. She paced the length of the small bedroom, back and forth, back and forth, her steps echoing in the otherwise silent space. She pulled at a stray strand of hair, a nervous habit that had intensified since receiving the news.

She stopped abruptly in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen. She barely recognized the woman staring back at her. The apartment, once her sanctuary, now felt like a cage. She was trapped, suffocating in a space that had once held so much promise.