Gemotions

The silence of the library was almost deafening. David, hunched over the family archive, felt a prickling sensation on his skin. His great-great-grandmother, Eliza, was a renowned philanthropist, a woman who had dedicated her life to helping the poor. The family history was full of tales of her generosity and kindness.

He found a collection of letters. Inside, he found a photograph. Eliza was in a gilded cage. The woman in the photo was a beautiful woman, but with a hard look in her eyes. The cage was luxurious, but a cage nonetheless. She was flanked by men in suits, and the expressions on their faces were predatory.

A pressure built in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. The world tilted on its axis. He felt a desperate need to find out what was going on, to understand why the truth didn't match the stories he knew. He stood up, but his legs felt like they were made of lead.