Gemotions

The antique key nearly slipped from Leo’s sweating palm as he wrestled with the front door lock. It was stuck, as everything seemed to be in this dilapidated house. Honestly, he’d rather be anywhere else. A sharp, frustrated sigh escaped him, a puff of air in the stuffy silence. "Seriously?" he muttered, giving the key another vicious twist.

He shoved the door open, the hinges protesting with a rusty screech that grated on his already frayed nerves. Dust motes danced in the lone ray of sunlight slicing through a gap in the boarded-up windows. He pinched the bridge of his nose, the headache that had been simmering all morning now blooming into a full-blown migraine.

His sister, Maya, entered behind him, humming a cheerful little tune. "Well, this is… charming!" she chirped, oblivious to the oppressive atmosphere. He just glared at her.