Gemotions

He’d always been a creature of habit, and the new house was shattering every one. Ethan’s stomach felt like it was doing somersaults as he tried to hammer a picture frame into the wall. The walls felt close, the silence too loud. His partner, Sarah, was at work, and he was alone with his swirling thoughts.

The attic door, which he’d avoided for days, creaked open under his hesitant push. He climbed the stairs, the wood groaning beneath his weight. Dust motes danced in the lone ray of sunlight. It was a mess, filled with forgotten furniture under sheets. He was starting to feel the pressure in his head as he investigated, wanting to get back downstairs and out of the enclosed space.

Then he saw it. A section of the wall that didn’t quite line up. A seam, barely visible, ran from floor to ceiling. He ran his fingers along the wall, searching for a release. His breath hitched. It was a secret. His gut clenched, a wave of unease crashing over him. He pressed against the panel. It yielded with a soft click, revealing a hidden room.