Gemotions

The late afternoon sun painted long shadows across the living room as James finished the last of the unpacking. He ran his hand over the smooth, cool plaster of the wall, enjoying the quiet hum of the house settling around him. He'd poured himself a glass of iced tea and sat down on the floor, admiring the room bathed in sunlight.

He ran his fingers along the skirting board, tracing the lines where it met the floor. He found a slight irregularity, a place where it felt loose. He pressed in, and the entire section of skirting board, long and heavy, came away to reveal a passage.

It led to a small, square room. A small, wooden rocking chair faced a brick fireplace. He felt a deep sense of peace settle over him, a sense of having finally found a place to simply *be*.