Gemotions

The heavy, sealed container, buried in the woods behind her family’s old house, felt like a deliberate insult. Sarah stared at it, a bitter taste coating her tongue. Memories she’d worked hard to bury, suddenly resurrected.

A half-burned journal, filled with adolescent drama and cringe-worthy song lyrics, topped the list. She flipped through the pages, each entry a fresh blow. A sense of wrongness invaded her.

She'd come back to the house to heal, not to be confronted with this. Her sister, Emily, was watching from the porch, a curious expression on her face. Sarah slammed the lid and kicked at the box.

“What’s in there?” Emily called out, her voice cheerful. Sarah just turned away.