Gemotions

The bookstore owner, old Mr. Abernathy, had warned her about the dust. But Elara, captivated, hadn’t noticed it until she held the letter. The paper was folded into a tight square, hidden in a copy of *Moby Dick*. Her pulse quickened.

She retreated to a dimly lit corner, away from the chatter of the other customers. The script was spidery, almost illegible, but it crackled with something powerful. Her hand flew to her mouth.

The words were a confession, a plea for forgiveness. Elara felt a strange pressure in her chest. She understood nothing, and everything. The weight of another's secret pressed down on her, and she suddenly felt very small.