kenopsia n. the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet.
The house was bare, painted fresh— though dated still. Silent— thick with memory. Decades collapsed. The dining room bustled: gifts on the table, the slap of cards— a poker game. Mother in the kitchen, trays of rolls cooling. Father in the living room— stretched on the floor, whisky in hand, watching the game. Every seat full. Laughter. Fighting. Children— covering the floor, cradling their toys— joined by the ones who came before them, a crowded lineage huddled in the hollow light. So full of life. Now still. Now empty. Nowhere for all the love to go.
I cried when we moved out of our starter home because seeing it empty after it having been bustling was such a weird feeling. I know plenty of people don’t/can’t relate to it, but obviously you do. Thank you for articulating it! (Plus now I know a new word to describe that weirdness!)
This paints such a clear image, so evocative with the melancholic tone. Love it!!