The door creaked as I pushed it open, the sound echoing through the stillness like a warning I was too stubborn to heed. My hands trembled against the peeling wood, and for a moment, I froze, unable to cross the threshold. The house was still standing, but it didn't feel right.
It didn't feel like home.
The smell hit me first—a rancid stench that clawed its way into my nose and throat, making my stomach churn violently. I gagged, one hand flying to my mouth as the other gripped the doorframe so tightly my knuckles turned white.
"Oh, God," I whispered, choking on the sour taste rising in my throat. Tears blurred my vision, streaming freely down my face as I doubled over, my body trembling under the weight of the stench and the memories flooding in.
The warmth of my dad's laugh, the soft hum of my mom singing in the kitchen—they collided with the stark reality of the decayed ruin in front of me.