Gemotions

The realtor’s words, delivered with a practiced smile, echoed in Maya’s ears: "Prime location! Excellent investment opportunity!" The slick brochure, with its glossy pictures of renovated kitchens and panoramic city views, mocked her. Prime location. She’d always thought it was *her* location.

She stood in her doorway, the scent of lavender from the neighbor’s apartment a sharp stab of familiarity. A wave of nausea washed over her. It wasn't the building itself; it was the life she’d built here, the routines, the familiar faces of neighbors she knew by name.

She went to the bedroom and closed the door. She looked in the mirror, her face a pale reflection of the turmoil within. She had to sit down, the world spun.