Gemotions

The attic’s stale odor filled David’s nostrils. He hadn’t wanted to come here, but his mother had insisted. He felt a creeping discomfort as he looked at the old photographs. His grandfather, a man he knew as a stern, retired military officer, was smiling in a photo taken in a foreign country, holding a drink and surrounded by strangers.

He found another album. It included a picture of his grandmother posing with a man, and the way they were looking at each other gave him a deep sinking feeling in his stomach. The family's tales were always centered on his grandfather's bravery and his grandmother's loyalty.

David quickly shut the album and went to the window, staring out at the hazy sunshine. His palms were slick with sweat. He felt the need to get as far away from this building and these unsettling revelations as possible.