Gemotions

The eviction notice lay on the doormat, a stark white rectangle that threatened to unravel the fibers of her sanity. Clara couldn't bring herself to touch it. She stood frozen, staring at the mail slot, the fluorescent light of the hallway making her feel like an insect pinned beneath a microscope slide. Her breath hitched in her chest.

She finally took a tentative step forward, and then another, her legs feeling like they were filled with concrete. She bent down, slowly, her back aching as if carrying an immense burden. She snatched up the notice, recoiling as if burned. The crisp paper felt sharp against her fingertips.

She retreated back into her apartment, the door slamming shut behind her with a finality that sent a shiver down her spine. The silence within was deafening, the shadows of the room growing long and distorted. She felt a wave of nausea, her stomach churning as if she'd ingested something poisonous. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words were trapped, lodged in her throat.