Gemotions

The air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke and old memories. Rachel stood beside her brother, Sam, as they surveyed the cluttered attic. Sam started organizing boxes and dusting off old furniture, and a wave of something akin to panic rushed over her.

She felt the familiar pull to remain silent, unseen, to let Sam take control. She knew she should be helping, but the thought of making a wrong choice, of accidentally discarding something important, made her skin prickle. She took a step back, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

He glanced at her, a look of mild exasperation on his face. She felt a flush rise in her cheeks. The attic seemed to close in around her, the weight of the past pressing down, and she felt a sense of relief.