Gemotions

The heat in the attic was oppressive, making her clothes cling to her skin. She fanned herself with a piece of cardboard, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. A collection of outdated lamps, their shades brittle and yellowed, crowded the space. "Ugh!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking.

She kicked at a box, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Inside, she found a collection of old photographs. Smiling faces stared back at her, their lives a mystery. She picked up one, a picture of a couple standing on a beach. She tossed it back into the box with a sigh. She had hoped for some clear space up here.