Gemotions

The old police reports lay open on the kitchen table. The homeowner, a young man named Ben, kept circling the same passages. The detective's voice, replaying in his mind, echoed within the walls. A crime of passion. A beautiful woman. An open case.

Ben felt a rush of energy. He took off his jacket, as if the house itself was heating him up. He wanted to know more. He felt an urge to be involved, to solve the mystery himself.

He explored the house from basement to attic, his fingers tracing the edges of every object. He found himself imagining the previous owner and the victim. He began filling notebooks with theories and drawing maps of the rooms. He didn’t eat, sleep, or leave the house. He was consumed.