Gemotions

The wallpaper peeled away under Amelia’s frantic clawing. Dust motes danced in the single ray of sunlight slicing through the gap. She’d been at it for hours, the cheap, floral paper a defiant barrier against her will. He, the contractor, had sworn there were no hidden spaces, that the house was “exactly as advertised.” Liar. She slammed her fist against the exposed lath and plaster, a sharp crack echoing in the suddenly silent room. This was a deliberate act of obstruction, she was sure of it. Her jaw clenched.

She ripped the rest of the paper down in one savage motion, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The hole was bigger now, revealing a dark, musty space. She jammed her shoulder against the wall, pushing with all her might.