Gemotions

He found himself avoiding the basement. The damp air, the low ceilings, the musty smell – it all made Thomas feel… depleted. The renovations were meant to be therapeutic, a fresh start. But the thought of sanding the floorboards, of bringing life back into that neglected space, felt utterly overwhelming. He'd been slogging through the living room for weeks, the task of picking paint colours, choosing furniture, had become a Herculean effort.

Then, a knock at the door. A curt-looking man with a badge. "Sir, we have reason to believe..." He trailed off, the sunlight glinting off his glasses. The rest of the words were a blur, a jumble of facts, dates, and… a body. Now, the basement's shadow seemed to stretch even further, suffocating the light in the house.