Gemotions

"Condos," she muttered, crumpling the notice in her hand. A knot tightened in her stomach. Her safe place was becoming something else.

She climbed the familiar stairs to her apartment, each step echoing the rhythm of her life in this building. Her hand reached out to trace the smooth curve of the banister, a touch she made every time she ascended or descended. It was a movement filled with comfort.

She cooked her favorite meal, the aroma of garlic and tomatoes filling the air. She remembered making the dish for the first time, fumbling through the recipe, with a roommate. She felt a lightness in the space, as if those memories could be consumed like a bite of food.