Gemotions

“Strangled… in the basement.” The detective’s words, spoken matter-of-factly, echoed in Linda’s ears as she descended the stairs. The air grew colder, heavier. This house, the one she had poured her heart into, now felt like a tomb. She stopped at the bottom step, heart hammering against her ribs.

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the chill. She felt a profound sense of isolation, of being utterly alone in this house. The darkness of the basement seemed to press in on her, suffocating her.

She turned and ran back upstairs. She couldn’t stay there. The house felt polluted, tainted, and she could not bear the thought of what had happened, what the walls had witnessed. She felt a burning need to escape.