Gemotions

She slammed the attic hatch shut, the echo of the wood reverberating through the empty house. "Unbelievable," she spat, her hands clenched into fists. She had spent the entire morning scrubbing the kitchen, and now this. A mountain of forgotten toys, covered in a thick layer of grime, stared back at her from the gloom.

The air in the attic was thick and stale, clinging to her skin. Her breaths came in short, sharp bursts. She pulled at her collar, feeling the tightness in her chest.

"Well, this is just great," she said to the empty room. What had she been expecting? A pristine storage space? The previous owners had clearly treated this house like a dumping ground. She grabbed a battered teddy bear, its one button eye staring blankly at her. She threw it back into the pile and spun away, feeling defeated.