Gemotions

Dust motes swirled in the single shaft of sunlight cutting through the attic’s grimy window. Leo, sweat beading on his forehead, ran his hand along the aged, rough-hewn beam. He’d heard the strange echo when he knocked on this wall earlier. Now, he was committed to figuring out the source.

He’d already checked the blueprints, of course. No mention of anything beyond the standard attic space. The previous owner, a twitchy old man named Peterson, had been remarkably evasive about the house’s history. Leo found it suspicious that he had moved out so quickly.

A section of the beam felt… different. Softer. He pressed, and the wood crumbled slightly. He took a hammer from his toolbox, and tapped gently. The wood splintered, revealing a narrow opening. He swallowed hard, then forced himself to widen the gap. It's probably just a rodent's nest, he thought.

He peered inside, his breath catching in his throat. It was a small room, filled with cobwebs and… something else. Something heavy and dark, just out of his view.