Gemotions

John felt cold, though the sun beat down mercilessly on the beach. He'd found the letter in a discarded paperback of *The Odyssey*. It described a rendezvous at a deserted cove, a place he knew well. The words hinted at violence.

He looked out at the ocean, the vast expanse suddenly feeling menacing. The rhythmic crashing of the waves seemed to echo the pounding in his chest.

He backed away from the water's edge, his gaze sweeping the empty beach. He felt a prickling at the back of his neck, as if he were being watched. He didn't know what to do. His legs were shaky, and his mind was a whirlwind of anxieties. He turned and slowly walked away.