Gemotions

The house was too quiet. The silence was a physical weight on Elias’s shoulders. He felt a constant tension in his muscles, a need to fidget. He wanted to fill the space with noise, with something, anything. He began to check all the doors and windows, repeatedly.

While attempting to adjust a wonky bookshelf in the guest bedroom, he noticed the way the wooden panels of the wall didn't quite line up. He paused, his breath catching in his throat. He ran his hand along the seams, his fingers tracing their course. There was a latch hidden in the wood.

He pressed it. The bookshelf moved backward, exposing a narrow doorway leading into darkness. He stood frozen, his eyes wide. A feeling of dread, cold and sharp, washed over him.