Gemotions

He hadn't been back here in years. A knot twisted in his stomach, and he pressed his hand to his chest. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by the rhythmic tick of a grandfather clock in the hallway. He felt lightheaded.

His sister, Rachel, was already rummaging through the kitchen cupboards, a look of grim determination on her face. He felt disconnected, as if he were observing the scene from a distance. The thought of sorting through everything, of making decisions, of… *this*, was overwhelming. He just wanted it to be over.