Gemotions

The chipped mug warmed Elias's hands as he stared out the grime-streaked window. Another gray morning. He took a long swallow of the instant coffee, the bitterness doing nothing to sharpen his focus. Just yesterday, Mrs. Gable from 3B had cornered him in the hallway, her voice a shrill crackle. "Did you hear the news, dear? Condos!" He’d mumbled something noncommittal, the words catching in his throat. Now, the thought of sorting through his life, the boxes of things he hadn’t touched in years, felt like a physical weight pressing down on his chest.

He sighed, the sound a low rumble in the otherwise quiet apartment. The landlord's notice, a crisp white rectangle, lay on the kitchen table, its official language mocking his exhaustion. The building, his sanctuary for the last decade, was being gutted.

Elias dragged himself to the closet, pulled out a too-heavy coat, and stepped out into the chill. He hoped the walk to the cafe would help.