Gemotions

The new house was supposed to be a refuge, a place to heal. But the silence in the hallways was deafening, the emptiness in the rooms a constant, crushing weight. Sarah spent her days wandering through the rooms, unable to find a single, comfortable place to sit.

She was scrubbing the kitchen cabinets, trying to distract herself from the gnawing pain inside her. A section of the wall behind the stove seemed to have a different texture. Careful examination revealed a small, almost undetectable seam.

With a push, a hidden door swung open, revealing a small pantry. Shelves lined the walls, and on the top shelf, a single, unopened jar of her favorite pickles.