Gemotions

The doorbell chimed, a sound that sliced through the quiet of the apartment. Sarah, her shoulders rigid, peered through the peephole. A delivery person stood there, holding a box. She wasn't expecting anything. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She took a deep breath.

"Package for… Mr. Davies?" the delivery person asked, his voice echoing in the hallway. "You're…?"

She paused, considering her options. The previous tenant. A man she'd never met, yet whose shadow seemed to cling to the walls of the apartment. She signed for the package, her handwriting shaky.

Inside, she found a collection of old photographs. Smiling faces, none of whom she recognized. She slammed the lid shut. She felt a need to throw it into the trash, but the thought of it sitting there, unseen, gnawed at her. She felt a sudden urge to clean.