Gemotions

The phone slipped from Sarah's grasp, clattering onto the hardwood floor. The announcement, delivered in a too-cheerful tone by the building manager, hung in the air like a noxious gas. She stood frozen, staring at the phone, as if expecting it to explode. Her palms began to sweat.

Her vision swam as she looked around the familiar space, filled with her belongings. Each item, once a source of comfort, now seemed like a burden. The thought of sorting, discarding, starting over – it was a vast, unnavigable ocean.

A sob escaped her, tight and ragged. She sank into the nearest chair, her body trembling. "Not now," she whimpered, "Please, not now."