Gemotions

"I need another coffee," Maya announced to the empty living room. Her voice sounded thin, almost reedy, even to her own ears. The notice lay open on the coffee table, the bold font of “Condominium Conversion” staring back at her.

She rose and walked to the kitchen, her movements jerky and uncertain. She opened the coffee canister, the familiar scent barely registering. Her hands shook as she measured the grounds. She took a long, shallow breath, trying to calm the racing beat of her heart.

The rhythmic gurgle of the coffee machine filled the silence, but the sound felt too loud, too insistent. She closed her eyes, the image of a future she couldn't control filling her mind. She poured the coffee, a dark liquid that offered little comfort.