Gemotions

“What is it, Mom?” asked little Timmy, his voice filled with curiosity. "Is it a secret passage?" Sarah couldn't answer. The hidden room, revealed behind a panel in the master bedroom, filled her with a feeling that made her want to retreat and never return. She wasn’t sure why.

She had been searching for the source of the persistent drafts in the house, a job she suddenly wished she had left unfinished. She placed her hand on the panel, trying to decide what to do. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of her own ragged breathing. She slowly pushed the panel open.

A wave of cold, stagnant air hit her. The room was dark, but she could see something on the floor. Something that caused her to feel weak in her knees.