Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the rhythm of Leo's heartbeat – slow, steady. He'd decided to stay in, content to be surrounded by the comforting weight of his own thoughts. He’d made a simple lunch and ate it with unhurried grace.

At the library, he’d picked up a biography of a forgotten artist. He began to read, then stopped, leaning back against the cushions. He felt a profound sense of peacefulness, almost a melting into his surroundings.

As he flipped through the pages, a brittle envelope fell out, addressed to someone named Clara. He read the letter, which detailed a budding love, a simple life, a hope for the future. He felt a pang of something - not sadness, but a feeling akin to an echo of another’s feelings.