Gemotions

The air in the storage unit was stale, the smell of forgotten things a familiar, unwelcome presence. Liam ran a hand across his forehead, wiping away a thin sheen of sweat. He'd been sifting through his grandmother's belongings for hours, the task feeling increasingly heavy as the day wore on. The letter in his hand, his grandfather's resignation from the university, was a revelation. It had arrived in an unmarked envelope.

He looked at the neat script, the carefully chosen words, the elegant language. He had always heard his grandfather's story. But this letter told a different story. A story that was buried. A story that was not for him.

He felt a tightness in his chest. He felt as if someone was watching him. He folded the letter, his movements quick and decisive, and placed it back in the envelope. The door of the unit slammed shut. It echoed in his ears.