Gemotions

The antique music box sat on the dusty shelf, its gilded edges catching the late afternoon sun. Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair. The silence of the house pressed in on her, thick and heavy. She kicked at a rug, sending a small cloud of dust motes dancing in the air. Her Aunt Millie had called, that’s what this was all about. Millie wanted to sell it, the music box. Said she needed the money.

Sarah knew the tune it played, a tinny, slightly off-key rendition of a lullaby. She'd listened to it for hours as a child. Now, just the thought of the familiar melody made her skin prickle with a strange unease. She wandered into the kitchen, picked at a piece of fruit, then discarded it, the sweetness suddenly unappealing.

Aunt Millie’s words, echoing in her mind, grated against her. “It’s just…stuff, Sarah. Money is more important.” Sarah traced a pattern on the counter with her finger, feeling a deep, sluggish ache settle in her chest.