Gemotions

The package was wrapped in black plastic, secured with duct tape. She knew the previous tenant, a woman named Vera, had been a recluse, a woman of deep secrets. The thought of what the package might contain sent a shiver down her spine.

She felt a weight in her stomach. She started the dishwasher, and then turned it off before it started the cycle. Then she turned it back on. Then off again. She felt hot and flustered, and paced back and forth, not wanting to touch the box.

She checked the locks, the windows, the smoke detectors. Every sound seemed amplified, every shadow a lurking threat. Sleep was impossible. She spent the entire night by the window, watching the street, waiting.