Gemotions

The estate agent had been brisk, efficient. “Yours now.” The words hung in the air, a finality that settled over Leo like a shroud. He looked at his sister, Maria, her face a mask of polite interest. She was so good at handling these things.

He gazed up at the roof. The shingles were curling, the gutters were clogged. He imagined the cost, the time, the effort. He felt a profound weariness, a sense of… well, what could he do?

He walked through the house, his footsteps echoing in the empty rooms. The musty smell, the shadows, the silence… it was all so… encompassing.