Gemotions

The inspector’s casual mention of “a little something that happened in the basement, long ago,” hung in Martha’s ears. She felt her face flush, the blood roaring in her ears. She forced a smile at the inspector, but her hands were clammy. She needed to see the basement, to understand what he meant, to get some sense of what had occurred, but her feet felt rooted to the floor.

She finally managed to nod and started down the stairs, each step a descent into an unknown and unpleasant world. The air grew cold, the scent of mildew intensified, and the shadows seemed to lengthen. She gripped the railing, her knuckles tight.

As she entered the dimly lit space, her breath caught. The low ceiling and the damp smell, usually a minor annoyance, suddenly felt oppressive. She could barely breathe. Her eyes darted around, looking for… something. Anything. Her vision blurred, and the inspector’s voice faded to a dull echo.