Gemotions

Eliza stared at the unearthed container. It lay in the middle of her meticulously manicured backyard, a testament to... what? She blinked, trying to recall even a fleeting memory of burying it. The day was sunny, the air crisp, but her gut twisted with a strange unease. She hadn't planted anything new. She never did yard work.

She circled the box cautiously, touching its rough surface. A small, almost imperceptible tremor ran through her. Inside, she found a letter. The handwriting was hers, she knew it. The letter began, "Dear Future Self..." Her breath hitched. The words blurred before her eyes as she tried, and failed, to recall the memory behind it. The letter talked of dreams, lost loves, and a burning desire to escape the life she was living. Reading on, she felt as if she were learning about a different version of herself; a stranger.