Gemotions

The silence of the building was broken, as if shattered glass. It was so intense, so still, that it felt like an actual physical presence. Before the news, she found this comforting. Now, the quiet seemed to amplify her worries. She found herself staring at the front door, half-expecting a knock.

She picked at the corner of the envelope again, even though she had already read the notice a dozen times. The words mocked her, the promises of “improved amenities” and “enhanced living experiences” sounding hollow and condescending.

She made a cup of tea, the clinking of the mug against the saucer too loud in the stillness. She drank it too fast, scalding her tongue, the heat a physical manifestation of her inner turmoil. She felt the urge to pace.