Gemotions

The attic's dim light barely illuminated the letter. Sarah, perched precariously on a rickety stool, felt a familiar pressure building behind her eyes. The unopened envelope, addressed to her brother, held a secret she’d guarded for decades. The words were a bitter lament, a plea for understanding she’d never dared to voice.

She recognized the tremor in her own long-ago handwriting, a reflection of the turmoil she felt then. Her hands trembled as she forced it open. The words spilled out, a torrent of resentment she’d meticulously kept bottled up. A flush crawled up her neck as she reread the accusations. A silent scream clawed at her throat.

She slammed the letter shut and threw it across the room. She turned and stomped down the stairs.