Gemotions

"Evicted," Leo muttered, the word a poison in his mouth. He ran his hand over his face, as if trying to wipe away the words, the reality. His leg bounced. He couldn’t seem to stop it. He started turning on and off the radio, searching for the perfect song, but finding nothing. He wanted to flee, to disappear.

He threw on a jacket and headed for the door, then turned back, as if forgetting something. He didn’t know where he was going, but he had to escape the suffocating confines of his small apartment. The hallway outside seemed to stretch endlessly.

He walked aimlessly, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The city felt wrong, all harsh edges and unsympathetic stares. He stopped in front of a window display, but the mannequins staring back at him felt like accusing figures.