Gemotions

She stared out the window, the eviction notice lying crumpled on the kitchen table. The city lights blurred through a film of unshed tears. The harsh reality of the situation was starting to dawn on her. The rhythmic drip of the leaky faucet seemed to amplify the silence in the apartment.

"Well, this is it, then," she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper. She went to the bookshelf and ran her fingers across the spines of her favorite books, each title a familiar friend. She wondered where she would even put her books.

A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over her. She imagined herself as a ship lost at sea, tossed about by the relentless waves. The thought of starting over, of finding a new place, a new routine, seemed insurmountable. Her legs felt weak.