Gemotions

"Again?" The words escaped her lips in a hushed whisper, barely audible above the rhythmic thumping that seemed to burrow into her very bones. Her neighbor’s note, tucked between her door and the frame, felt like a brand. It confirmed what she already knew: she was failing.

She sank into the nearest chair. Her hands trembled as she reached for a cigarette, her fingers fumbling with the lighter. The smoke offered little solace. The world swam. A wave of exhaustion, of overwhelming disappointment, threatened to engulf her.