Gemotions

The weight on Daniel's shoulders felt immense. The move, the new house – it felt like a monumental task he wasn't up to. The house was cold and unwelcoming. The newness of the place only emphasized his loss, the emptiness in his life.

He paced from room to room, unable to settle. The unpacking remained undone. He found no joy in any of it. He was lost in a sea of his own despair.

He was in the master bedroom, staring at the floorboards, when he noticed a pattern. A single floorboard near the bed seemed slightly darker than the others.

He knelt down, tracing the edges of the board. With a little effort, he pried it loose, revealing a dark hole beneath. A musty smell drifted up, carrying with it a whisper of forgotten secrets.