Gemotions

The paper crackled in Elias’s trembling hands. The words swam on the page, the bold print of the eviction notice seemed to pulse, to leap out at him. He scanned the hallway, heart hammering against his ribs, convinced someone was watching. He quickly crumpled the notice and stuffed it into his pocket, smoothing it down repeatedly. The air felt thick, heavy, like a suffocating blanket.

He locked the deadbolt, then double-checked, then triple-checked, each click echoing in the sudden quiet of his apartment. He peered through the peephole, then crouched low, eyes glued to the crack beneath the door. Every creak of the floorboards above him sent a jolt of alarm through his system.

A single drop of sweat trickled down his temple. He needed to get out, to vanish. He grabbed his worn backpack, stuffing it with essentials – a water bottle, a flashlight, a handful of protein bars. He whispered a hasty goodbye to his empty apartment.