Gemotions

The realtor had said the house was a "diamond in the rough." Emily shivered, despite the warmth of the afternoon sun. Inside, the air was stagnant, heavy with the scent of mildew and something else—something she couldn’t quite place.

She’d spent the morning cleaning, determined to make the place her own. It had been fun at first, but now, with the sun starting to dip, a tremor of unease ran through her. A flicker of movement in the periphery caught her eye. She turned sharply. Nothing.

She was in the library, the last room to be touched. As she ran her hand along a bookshelf, she noticed a slight indentation, almost imperceptible. She pressed on it, and the entire section silently swung inward, revealing a flight of stairs leading downwards. She drew in a sharp breath.