Gemotions

The key felt heavy in Leo’s palm, a cold, unyielding weight. He stared at it, the metal glinting in the weak sunlight filtering through the dusty car window. Beside him, Maya was already bouncing with excitement, fiddling with the door handle. He swallowed, the movement catching in his throat. He’d barely spoken a word since the lawyer’s office.

He pushed the door open, the sound echoing in the sudden quiet. The air inside the house felt thick, stale, heavy with the scent of mothballs and something else, something indefinable that made his stomach clench. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit he'd developed in childhood, and watched Maya bound ahead.

"Wow!" Maya’s voice cut through the silence. He trailed behind, eyes darting from shadow to shadow. Every creak of the floorboards, every rustle from the neglected garden outside, sent a jolt of energy through him. He found himself clutching his fists.

The living room felt vast, suffocating. He focused on a cobweb hanging in the corner, tracing its delicate strands with his gaze to steady himself. He had to be strong for Maya, that's what he kept telling himself. He had to breathe.