Gemotions

The seaside cottage, with its peeling paint and creaking floorboards, always brought a smile to Amelia's face. The sea air, the sound of the waves, the memories of summers spent here with her family. Today, however, she felt an unsettling emptiness. She pulled out a dog-eared paperback by Charles Holloway.

Holloway's *Sea Glass Secrets* had been her comfort for years. The descriptions of the crashing waves, the salty tang of the sea air, the feeling of freedom. It felt like coming home whenever she read it.

As she re-read the book, she felt a tightening in her chest. A particular scene, one she'd poured her heart into when she was younger. The words, once a source of warmth, now felt like a cold betrayal.