Gemotions

The crisp white envelope felt strangely heavy in Elias’s hand. He turned it over, the afternoon sun glinting off the polished brass mailbox. A frown touched his lips, but vanished as quickly as it came. He already knew what it was. He’d known for weeks.

He carefully tore the letter open, letting the paper fall softly to the floor. The words swam before his eyes, formal and cold. “Eviction Notice.” He’d seen them before.

Elias walked back into his apartment. He surveyed the room, the familiar chipped paint on the walls, the worn armchair by the window. He took a deep, slow breath, the scent of old books and brewing coffee filling his lungs. There was still the entire evening to figure out what he'd do.