Gemotions

The familiar scent of coffee did nothing to soothe Amelia’s nerves. The lukewarm liquid sat in her hands, forgotten, as she walked towards the mailboxes. Her legs felt heavy, as if weighted. She saw the familiar beige of the envelope right away, sticking out of the mail slot like a taunt.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm against the quiet morning. She ripped open the envelope, the paper tearing roughly in her trembling hands. The words swam before her eyes.

She sank onto the steps of the building. She felt a strange tingling in her fingertips. Her hands felt numb.