Gemotions

He stared at the letter, its edges frayed and softened with age. He'd discovered it tucked inside a well-worn copy of *Moby Dick*, a book that had once been his father’s. The letter, penned in a bold, unwavering hand, was addressed to his grandfather, a man he'd never known.

It spoke of ambitions, of a life he longed to live. He could almost feel his grandfather's presence in the room, hear the rumble of his voice. He imagined the man’s hands as they formed the words, saw the way his eyes would scan the landscape that lay before him.

A heavy sensation rested upon him. The letter was a ghost, a whisper from the past, reminding him of all that he had not become. A single tear traced a path down his cheek.