Gemotions

The afternoon sun blazed through the dusty windows, illuminating the chaos. The movers had left, the furniture remained unboxed, and Martha was drowning in a sea of unpacked belongings. She’d always prided herself on being organized, but this move felt like an insurmountable task.

She sighed, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of the world. She sank onto a rickety old chair, her back screaming in protest. She had to take a break. She needed to breathe.

As she stretched her legs, she kicked a loose floorboard. She knelt down to inspect it, a flicker of something close to curiosity igniting within her. She pulled at the board, revealing a small, dark opening. Hesitantly, she reached into the darkness and pulled out a key.