Gemotions

Dust motes danced in the afternoon sunbeams that pierced the living room windows. Daniel, though he feigned sorrow at his grandmother’s passing, felt a sharp excitement. He was the elder sibling, and he'd always felt entitled. He moved through the house, touching surfaces, assessing.

His sister, Sarah, sighed, looking around at the cluttered bookshelves and the worn armchair in the corner. "It's a lot of work to sort through all of this," she said. Daniel merely nodded, already planning how to allocate the contents. "Indeed," he replied, his gaze drifting towards a small, intricately carved jewelry box on the mantelpiece.

As Sarah began sorting through old photographs, Daniel excused himself and went to the basement. His heart pounded as he surveyed the space. He had an idea… an excellent idea. He was already calculating how he could subtly convince Sarah that he should take the lead.