Gemotions

The unwelcome news dropped like a bomb. I stared at the paper in disbelief. My mouth felt dry, and I couldn't seem to swallow. The walls of my studio apartment seemed to shrink, closing in on me. I felt the air grow thin, hard to breathe.

I pictured myself packing, all the small, sentimental things, the memories that made this place feel like home. The thought made my chest constrict. I didn’t know where I would go, or what I would do.

I sat on the edge of my bed, completely frozen. The world outside the window continued to spin, but I felt trapped in a vortex, unable to move, unable to think. All I felt was a vast, echoing emptiness.