Gemotions

The delivery man handed her the package with a shrug. "Said to leave it here, miss," he grunted, before he disappeared down the hall. Emily looked at the label: "Occupant." A chill ran through her, despite the summer heat.

She sliced the tape, her hands trembling slightly. Inside was a large, empty, ornate birdcage. It gleamed, as if newly polished. She felt a pressure in her chest, a feeling of being trapped. She stared into the cage, and the room seemed to spin around her. A sudden, piercing screech filled her ears, though no sound came from the cage. She sank to the floor, her vision blurring, the world tilting at a sickening angle.