Gemotions

The weight of the keys felt impossibly heavy in Eleanor's palm. She stared at them, the cold metal a strange contrast to the warmth of the late afternoon sun. Her brother, Thomas, clapped her on the back, a hearty sound that echoed in the empty room. "Well, sis! Ready to become landlords?" His enthusiasm was infectious, but Eleanor couldn't quite meet his gaze.

She took a step inside, the floorboards groaning beneath her feet. The wallpaper, faded and peeling, seemed to whisper secrets of a long-past time. The air was still and close, holding the ghosts of laughter and whispered conversations.

Her stomach churned. She felt as though she'd stepped into a dream, a surreal reality she couldn't quite grasp. "I… I don't know what to say." she stammered, her voice a near whisper.