Gemotions

The paper crackled in Amelia's trembling hands. It wasn't the noise that startled her; it was the sharp, metallic tang of fear that flooded her senses. She slammed the door, the flimsy wood rattling in its frame. Each breath felt shallow, as if the air itself was too thick to navigate. She paced the cramped apartment, her bare feet slapping against the worn linoleum. The chipped paint on the walls seemed to close in, the shadows lengthening into grasping claws.

The eviction notice lay on the small table. Her stomach twisted, a knot of icy dread hardening in her gut. She glanced at the clock; each second seemed to stretch into an eternity. Her hands fidgeted, tracing the outline of the notice repeatedly.

She ran a hand through her hair, her fingers snagging on a tangle. The sound of a neighbor's dog barking outside sent a jolt of anxiety through her.