The House With the Breathing Walls

An old house inhaled warm air in summer and exhaled heat in winter. Residents claimed it breathed with them — calming when they were anxious, firm when they were lost. A grieving woman moved in, hoping for solitude. The walls pulsed softly each night, echoing her heartbeat. One morning she woke to find the house still. Its breath had slowed to match hers — steady, no longer trembling. She left flowers on the windowsill as thanks. The house resumed its gentle breathing, ready to echo the next weary soul who needed it.