Gemotions

The car engine died, and the sudden silence felt complete, almost crushing. Sarah gazed at the house, a rambling structure she'd known only from childhood visits, each memory now seeming distant and dreamlike. The faded paint, the overgrown garden, the general air of quiet neglect… It was overwhelming. She felt the blood rush to her head and her vision shimmered.

Her brother, Mark, stretched, cracking his knuckles. He gestured towards the door. “Shall we?” he asked, his tone casual.

Sarah simply nodded, the word catching in her throat. She found herself walking slowly, almost hesitantly, towards the front door, each step deliberate, her gaze fixed on the peeling paint and the weathered wood. She had never known so much emptiness.