Gemotions

The announcement hit Michael like a physical blow. He stood in the lobby, the paper crumpled in his hand. He felt his face flush. The air seemed thin, hard to breathe. He imagined his carefully constructed life crumbling around him.

He pictured the real estate agents, the open houses, the bidding wars. His palms prickled with sweat. He was not a wealthy man, just a man who'd built a life here.

His heart pounded. He had to get out, he thought. He had to run. He felt a sudden, urgent need to be far away, to escape the impending chaos. He pushed his way past the startled doorman, the announcement still clutched tightly in his fist.