Gemotions

The antique key felt cool and smooth against Elias's palm. He’d found it tucked away in a dusty old cookbook in the kitchen. Curiosity gnawed at him, a restless energy buzzing beneath his skin. He ran his tongue across his lips, heart kicking against his ribs. The key fit perfectly into the ornate lock beside the fireplace in the living room.

A low groan of hinges echoed in the sudden silence as the door swung inward. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of sunlight that breached the gloom. His breath hitched; every sense felt heightened. He took a tentative step inside, then another, drawn forward by a sense of sheer, untamed glee. He was alive.