Gemotions

The attic was stifling, the air thick with the scent of mothballs and forgotten things. Her brother, Daniel, was happily sifting through old photographs, a constant stream of commentary flowing from his lips. Evelyn just wanted to lie down.

He unearthed an antique music box, its delicate mechanism still intact. "Look at this, Ev! Beautiful, isn't it?"

She mumbled a noncommittal response, her gaze fixed on the single window, desperately hoping a breeze would find its way in. A worn leather-bound journal lay half-hidden beneath a pile of dusty linens. He left it in the corner, ignoring it. Evelyn, noticing it, considered picking it up, but the effort seemed too much.