Gemotions

The silence of the library pressed in around Liam. Every rustle of paper, every creak of a chair, sent a jolt of anxiety through him. He found the letter in a biography of a long-dead explorer. The thin paper felt brittle, almost dangerous, in his hands.

It was a confession of a crime, a secret kept for decades. He read the words with mounting horror, a cold dread creeping through his veins. He wished he'd never bought the book, never opened it.

He slammed the book shut, his hands shaking. He looked around him, suddenly convinced that someone could see the letter was in his possession. He closed his eyes and tried to calm the racing thoughts.