Gemotions

He wandered through the rooms, running his hand over the smooth, polished wood floors. He’d always loved the way the sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. This house, his haven, had witnessed a dark secret.

The detective's words, still a harsh ring in his ears: a domestic dispute gone terribly wrong. A broken marriage. A violent end. He remembered the realtor's smile. The realtor had been more eager to sell than provide a history report.

He sat on the living room sofa, the same sofa where the previous owner had last sat. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine the life that had been lived within these walls before. He couldn’t. He didn't know how. The silence was overwhelming, a heavy presence that seemed to fill every corner of the house.