Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows of Maya's cramped apartment, mirroring the mood that had settled over her. She stared at the overflowing recycling bin, the image of it a constant, unwelcome companion. The air hung thick with the scent of stale coffee and unfulfilled ambitions.

Across the hall, Mrs. Gable was known to her as a kind, elderly woman who always offered freshly baked cookies. Mrs. Gable's small house appeared perfectly ordinary.

One afternoon, Maya accidentally saw a delivery man struggling to maneuver a grand piano through Mrs. Gable's front door. The sight, the incongruity, caused a knot to tighten in Maya's gut. The piano was not small.

The next day, she saw a sleek, expensive car parked in Mrs. Gable's previously empty garage. The discovery filled her with a strange, heavy weight.