Gemotions

The movers were gone, leaving a trail of cardboard boxes and an unsettling quiet. It was the silence that settled over Clara, like a physical weight, that she couldn't stand. It amplified her racing thoughts, amplifying them into a cacophony. She felt the familiar ache in her shoulders, the constant pressure behind her eyes. This place, this new house, was supposed to be a fresh start. But the past clung to her like a shroud.

She explored the house, trying to find a rhythm, a routine. In the dining room, she began to pull on the wainscoting, a familiar habit. A loose panel gave way and she knew she was going to open it, that she had to.

She found a small, dark doorway. Her hands shook as she reached for the handle.