Gemotions

The air was heavy in the master bedroom, the wallpaper peeling, as if the house itself was weeping. David hadn't slept well since moving in. Nightmares, vivid and unsettling, haunted his sleep. Now, the discovery of the hidden room was the final straw. His hands were ice cold, his breath shallow.

The hidden space was behind the fireplace. Inside, there was a single window, and in front of it was a chair. Sunlight poured through the window. He was suddenly aware of a low, rhythmic thumping sound, like a heartbeat.

He stared at the chair. He felt like he was falling, that the floor had given way beneath him. He was losing control. He clenched his fists, struggling to maintain composure. He couldn't go in there. He couldn't.