Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window as Finn settled into his favorite armchair, the worn book clutched in his hands. He’d snagged it for a song at the local bookstore, lured by the promise of forgotten worlds. A whisper of paper, a subtle rustle, made him stop his reading. He delicately extracted a small, folded note from between the pages of *Moby Dick*.

His heart gave a little leap. It was a drawing, a tiny sketch of a whale, accompanied by a single, perfectly formed rose. A giggle bubbled up from deep inside him. It felt like receiving a tiny, private gift. He examined the picture with a sense of utter joy, a warmth spreading through him like the crackle of a warm fire.