Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent light in the kitchen cast long, dancing shadows. Sarah slammed the empty cereal box onto the counter, the sound echoing in the too-quiet house. Her stomach twisted, a familiar knot forming whenever she thought about the looming foreclosure. She had missed the last three mortgage payments. Each bill piled up, suffocating her.

Her realtor’s voice, now a distant memory, suddenly crackled in her mind. “Perfect starter home! Charming history! No problems!” The charming history, it turned out, involved a gruesome unsolved murder. The detective’s official report now sat open on her table, each line a fresh stab of anxiety.

She ran a hand through her hair, finding a clump of loose strands. The realtor had definitely glossed over that tiny detail. Now, staring at the property, it felt tainted. Sarah wondered if she could even bring herself to wash the dishes, to sleep in a bed where something so awful had occurred.