Gemotions

The new homeowner, Daniel, stood in the overgrown backyard, a patch of weeds and dead leaves. He'd envisioned a beautiful garden, a tranquil space to remember his late wife. He was about to begin digging when the construction worker told him the story about the house: the previous owner, a lonely widower, had taken his own life within its walls.

He dropped the shovel, the metal clanging against the earth. His hands, which had been eager to begin their work, now felt heavy and useless. The sun, which had been warm on his back, suddenly felt cold.

He sat on the damp grass, the silence amplifying the thumping in his chest. He was supposed to build a new life here, a happy one. Instead, he felt the weight of another man's despair pressing down on him, suffocating any hope.