Gemotions

Rain lashed against the attic window as Thomas read the letter. The book, a tattered copy of *Dracula*, had been his late grandfather’s. The letter, slipped inside, spoke of a family secret, a lineage he’d never heard of. His knuckles went white as he gripped the page.

A chill snaked up his neck, despite the close, stuffy air. He reread the words, each sentence a fresh blow. His grandfather, the man he'd loved and trusted, had lived a life he'd never known. The floorboards creaked with every movement he made, as though the house itself were closing in on him.

He slammed the book shut, the sound echoing in the silence. He ran a hand through his hair, the action frantic. He felt a need to break something, to scream, to lash out at the unknown past.