Gemotions

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, making the already unsettling portraits seem to shift and leer. Richard hated the portraits. The eyes followed him.

He slammed the door shut, then locked it, then checked the lock three more times. He paced the living room, a restless energy coursing through him. He imagined every sound was a footstep.

He heard a scratching at the back door. His breath caught in his throat. He strained to listen, to decipher the source of the noise. A rat? A stray animal? Or something more?

He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. He grabbed a heavy book and crept towards the door, his heart pounding in his chest. His grip on the book tightened.