Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the neighborhood street fair, normally a welcome sight, seemed to mock her. Maria read the announcement about the building becoming condos, her joy swiftly evaporating. She felt an unexpected tightness in her chest, a sense of things closing in.

She sat on her favorite park bench, the familiar sounds of children playing now grating on her ears. Every familiar landmark felt like a painful reminder of what was about to disappear.

She wanted to be alone. Her apartment now felt like a prison cell. The sun seemed too bright, the air too heavy.