Gemotions

The afternoon light cast long shadows across the living room. Henry was sprawled on the couch, the remote control abandoned on the coffee table. He was going to watch a film but couldn't seem to muster the energy to press play. Getting up to make himself coffee seemed impossibly difficult.

A parcel arrived in the mail. Inside, a dusty file from a local historical society. He read the headline: “Local Banker Found Dead…Suspected Foul Play.” The article went on to describe a brutal home invasion, a struggle, and a tragic outcome, all within the walls of his house.

He felt the color drain from his face. The cheerful, inviting room suddenly felt menacing. He looked around at the comfortable furniture, the colorful artwork. They now seemed to be witnesses to a past he didn’t want to know. A wave of nausea washed over him. He felt trapped, suffocated by the unseen horrors of the past. He forced himself to his feet, and walked outside, the air feeling less heavy as he left the house.