Gemotions

The silence amplified the anxiety that had been building inside him since the move. Michael found himself jumpy, easily startled by every creak and groan of the house. He felt a disquiet he couldn't name, a constant, low-level hum of apprehension. The house's history felt heavy on his shoulders.

The feeling intensified when he was inspecting the floorboards in the dining room, noticing a slight unevenness. A loose board. He pried it up, revealing a dark hole beneath. His heart pounded in his chest, a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

He peered into the darkness, his breath catching in his throat. The smell of dust and decay filled his nostrils, and a cold draft brushed his face. He quickly slammed the board back into place, but the image of what he'd seen remained, a dark stain on his mind.