Gemotions

The new house felt like an accusation. Everything was perfect, pristine, and it highlighted the mess that was Amelia's life. She’d spent weeks avoiding unpacking, preferring to wander from room to room, feeling the emptiness amplify the ache that lived in her chest. The quiet of the place was deafening.

She finally forced herself to tackle the overflowing storage room. She found a loose brick near the floor, and when she pulled at it, the wall crumbled slightly, revealing a narrow opening. Curiosity, a very muted emotion, pricked at her.

Inside, a small room contained a collection of old photographs. She picked one up. A woman with a kind smile stared back at her. Maybe, Amelia thought, this house held a history beyond her own. She started to wonder about the woman in the photograph.