Gemotions

The notice lay on the kitchen counter, a stark white rectangle against the faded floral pattern. I felt a tightening in my chest, a sensation akin to drowning. I picked up the half-eaten apple on the counter and dropped it back in the fruit bowl. The apartment, which always seemed welcoming, now felt cramped, stifling.

I walked to the window and stared at the park across the street, its vibrant green a jarring contrast to my inner turmoil. My fingers tapped an erratic rhythm on the glass. The rhythmic clack of the window frame against the glass was the only noise. A knot of dread started building in my stomach.