Gemotions

"Charming, isn't it?" The estate agent's words now rang hollow in John's ears. He'd envisioned happy memories in this house, but the police file detailing the unsolved murder of the previous resident had shattered that dream. The victim had been found in the basement - tied up.

John was in the middle of the basement, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He ran his hand along a damp stone wall, a shiver running down his spine. The air felt cold, heavy. He couldn't shake the image of the victim, trapped, terrified.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to rip apart the walls. His own carefully curated life felt suddenly fragile, vulnerable. He pictured his own family in the spaces of the home, his hands clenched into fists. He had to get out. He couldn't breathe here. He turned and fled the basement, abandoning the unfinished project he'd been working on.