Gemotions

The package arrived just as Maya was wrestling with a particularly stubborn stain on her kitchen floor. She slammed the cleaning spray down, a sharp retort to the intrusion. It was addressed to "J. Finch," the name of the previous occupant. Maya glared at the neatly packaged box.

Her pulse quickened, a nervous flutter in her chest. She found herself snapping at her reflection in the glass of the back door, and instantly regretted it. The temptation to just ignore it was strong, but the curiosity gnawed. She grabbed a box cutter, the blade glinting.

Inside, nestled amongst tissue paper, was a collection of dried herbs. Their pungent aroma filled the kitchen, a mix of sweet and acrid that made her throat tighten. An unsettling feeling washed over her, and she suddenly wanted to be far away from this package.