Gemotions

He found it wedged between the pages of a forgotten novel. The letter was dated decades earlier, penned by his grandfather, in an elegant, fading script. It was a formal resignation, citing reasons of "professional incompatibility" and "personal dissatisfaction." His stomach twisted. He pictured his grandfather, the man who had always seemed so content, so self-assured, trapped in a life he clearly detested.

He immediately turned away from it and went to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face, trying to wash away the unpleasant film that had formed over everything.

The air felt thick, difficult to breathe. He threw open a window, gasping for air.