Gemotions

The air hung heavy with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves. Claire, her face etched with a permanent frown, leaned against the ancient oak tree in her backyard, watching the relentless rain. The tree was the last place she felt connected to her late sister, Sarah. She had always insisted on this spot, wanting to feel the earth and be close to nature. She reached down to the spot, feeling a slight depression in the earth she never noticed before.

She knelt and began to dig, her hands raw and bleeding. Her heart started to beat faster, as the shovel hit something hard. A small, metal box. She could not recall burying it. The lid opened easily. Inside, two smooth, grey stones, and a tiny, handwritten note with Sarah's familiar script. The note simply read, “For when you need me.” The tears fell freely, stinging her cheeks.