Gemotions

The stairs seemed impossibly steep. Each step was a battle, her legs heavy and uncooperative. The rejection letter, crumpled in her purse, felt like a lead weight dragging her down. She fumbled with the key, the metallic click a jarring sound in the sudden quiet of her apartment. The scent of stale air and forgotten plans filled her nostrils.

She dropped her bag on the floor with a dull thud. Her reflection in the hallway mirror revealed a stranger – eyes shadowed, hair unkempt, a slump in her posture that spoke volumes. The apartment felt vast and empty. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and vanish, to be swallowed whole by the silence. She slowly began to remove her coat, feeling the mundane movement consume her.