Gemotions

The midday sun beat down on the small town, baking the asphalt and making the air shimmer. Maria gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white. She was waiting in the parking lot of the old factory, her grandmother's letter of resignation from the plant clutched in her hand. It was dated decades ago, before the town was dying.

She'd been told her grandmother had retired. But this letter hinted at something more. Something that made her want to drive away. Her grandmother was very different now, but Maria knew that she had always hidden secrets. She had always kept to herself.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The letter felt heavy in her hand. A sudden movement in the rearview mirror startled her. She felt a jolt of alarm. She had a feeling she was not alone.