Gemotions

“This is insane,” Ben whispered, pacing his cramped apartment. His footsteps were heavy on the creaking floorboards. He felt a knot tighten in his stomach. The building was going condo, a stark betrayal of the quiet, affordable life he had carved out for himself. He stopped and ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of profound distress.

He leaned against the window, staring at the familiar cityscape. Everything looked the same, yet nothing would ever be the same again. His mind raced, imagining the upcoming upheaval: packing, searching, paying. He felt a profound sense of fatigue, as if he had run a marathon and was now faced with another.

His chest felt tight, constricted. He wanted to sit down, to hide.