Gemotions

"Unbelievable." The words escaped her in a whisper. She stared at the card. It was so… mundane. A generic birthday wish on a flimsy piece of paper. The woman, Elaine, had no idea who could have sent it.

She turned the card over and over. She looked at her name and address, written in a neat, unfamiliar hand. Her mind raced. She considered every acquaintance, every distant relative. Nobody stood out.

She felt a rising tide of unease. She opened the front door, peered out at the street. She double-checked the mailbox. There was nothing else. She shut the door, her movements jerky and uncertain. She could feel the blood rushing in her ears. The card, she realized, had changed everything.