Gemotions

The air hung heavy with the scent of lilies, a cloying sweetness that made Liam's stomach churn. The florist had delivered the arrangement, a condolence gift from a sympathetic colleague. He'd never liked lilies. The previous owners, a young couple, had been found dead in the garden. He'd learned the details through the local paper. It had all been so senseless.

He wandered through the house, his steps slow and deliberate. The gleaming surfaces, the spotless floors, seemed to mock his current state. He picked up a ceramic vase, its cool smoothness offering no comfort. He needed to do something, anything, to break free from the suffocating gloom. But even the simplest tasks felt overwhelming.