Gemotions

The old house felt empty, even with her here. Amelia, sorting through her aunt's effects, found the box in the linen closet, hidden at the back. Inside: a letter. A resignation. The handwriting was her aunt's, but the words felt… wrong. It was from a job she never mentioned, a career that seemed to have vanished.

She sat down on the floor, the letter crumpled in her hands. The room swayed slightly, the objects in it seeming to swim in and out of focus. She stared at the walls, trying to ground herself.

A coldness seeped into her bones. She hugged herself, trying to ward off the chill, the feeling of being untethered from everything she knew. The past, once a steady point of reference, now felt like a distorted reflection.