Gemotions

The notice landed with a thud on the kitchen table. He froze, his hand still reaching for the coffee pot. He slowly lowered it, his fingers clenching the handle so hard his knuckles turned white. His shoulders slumped.

He knew it was coming. He’d been dodging the landlord, the bills piling up. But the reality of it, the cold, stark words on paper, hit him like a physical blow. He felt a deep, pervasive weariness.

He walked to the window and stared out at the street. The morning sun was bright, but he felt a shadow fall over him. He felt the phantom weight of a thousand judgments, a thousand failures. He didn't want to leave his space.