Gemotions

The card was a stark white rectangle, tucked amongst the bills and junk mail. Elara’s breath hitched. She clutched the stack to her chest, her fingers prickling as if they were cold. The envelope was plain, no name, no return address. Just her address, perfectly printed. A small tremor went through her as she slipped a fingernail under the flap.

Her heart thumped against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the quiet afternoon. She pulled out the card, turning it over in her hands. The outside was blank. She flipped it open. Inside, a simple message: “Happy Birthday.” And nothing else.

She quickly scanned the room, her gaze darting from corner to corner. The silence of the apartment seemed to press in on her, heavy and thick. Had she imagined the click of the mailbox? She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. Maybe it was a prank. Or worse…