Gemotions

Eliza perched on the edge of the park bench, flipping the pages of her newly acquired book. She had been thrilled to find a copy of "The Illustrated Guide to Victorian Mourning Rituals" for such a low price. The book was a bit tattered but in good condition. Then a single sheet of paper had fallen out.

She examined it. A list. A detailed list, written in faded ink. Names. Dates. Locations. And next to each entry, a single word: "Missing." Some of the names she recognized. The locations were all local.

She felt a tightening in her chest. She looked around the park, at the familiar faces of other park-goers. Everything seemed to shift, to take on a darker hue. Her fingers trembled as she held the list, its implications slowly dawning on her.