Gemotions

The moving truck had just pulled away, leaving Maya surrounded by a mountain of cardboard boxes. Each box felt like a weight, a physical manifestation of her overwhelming feeling. Her hands trembled as she sliced through the tape of the first one. She just wanted to be done.

She was exploring, trying to orient herself in the unfamiliar space. The previous owners hadn't bothered to leave anything behind, and the house felt sterile. As she walked, her feet felt heavy, as if she were wading through water.

In the master bedroom, behind the walk-in closet, she noticed a faint discoloration on the wall. Peeling away a loose section of wallpaper, she discovered a wooden panel. A small, almost invisible indentation sat in the center of it. A chill, a prickling sensation on her skin, ran through her. She pressed it. The panel slid inward, and a dark, narrow passage was revealed.